This may be the first in a series of overly preachy posts.  :)  I just put this on our Facebook Page.

“Fitness is not always about working out. I was just talking to a friend of mine about a pretty tough situation. And it got me thinking. (Yeah Scary)

So, his friend who is married and has kids, is in a bit of a tough spot. Due to the economy, or depression, or some combination of things, he is having a real tough time with his business. (He sells insurance) Well, as his income has diminished (a fact it seems he has been keeping from his wife) he has become more and more panicked. To the point of putting on weight (to be expected), getting very depressed (to be expected) and not seeing a way out of his situation.

This has me thinking about “us,” our community of friends and close acquaintances. We really need to make sure we are supporting each other as many ways as possible. We need to be there to give a hand when necessary, or help direct them down a better path.

I am going to find out who he is, and see if (he sells Farmers Insurance) his rates are better than what I get from Progressive (which I buy online). It may not fix his total situation, but it will be supporting someone HERE in our community.

We need to be buying more local goods, working with local services, and most of all supporting the people we care about in our circles. I also think we should be looking to our friends first. If someone needs a job, keep an eye out for them, if you are hiring, look to the people you know first. (as long as they are qualified) If they own a shop, buy from them, not Amazon, Walmart or COSTCO.

In the end, it comes down to supporting each other and making sure all of us are successful. I am not talking about some “ism.” (Socialism, Communism) I AM talking about trying to make sure the people we know and love are taken care of and have every opportunity to succeed.

Life can get in the way, and it can be very tough at times. When it is, we should have a support system in place to make sure we don’t crash and burn, but instead, land on our feet. (Or at least not on our heads)

Maybe this is “Paying it forward,” maybe it is just being there for your community. I don’t know. I do know we need to be doing more of this.

-Rob”