Log Splitter
Sitting in front of my computer with my Amazon Cart open and ready to check out with a $1,600 log splitter, the conversation I had with my brother from the night before came rushing in. Now to quickly preface, I am not an impulsive person especially when it comes to making a purchase. I research, compare, do more research, do more comparing, and then decide “I don’t need it.” Need was something we were all too familiar with growing up as money was tight in our family. We had a good living and never wanted for the basics, but no financial decision was ever made on a whim.
Backing up to my researching, comparing, and deciding “I don’t need it”, this is the process that drives my wife nuts. So, now that you have a bit of background on the process that annoys my wife and anyone else unfortunate enough to be aware of my next possible purchase, we’ll get back to the log splitter. So before I click “Continue to Checkout” the image of my oldest brother comes to my mind from our Skype video conversation the night before. He didn’t have a shirt on to which I will frequently take my shirt off to join in this oddity of brotherly bonding. I had just complimented him on how much visible progress he has made with his workout program. This once concave chested, upper body physique of a boy older brother of mine now had not just pecks, but the upper pecks I’ve always wanted. He was telling me about going to the gym twice a day as this and training has always been a core value of his being a 2nd degree Don in Aikido and an avid long distance runner. He now works out with the weight that I was only able to do two reps with. He continued on telling me how often he is jealous when he looks out into the background of my home where I could go out and flip a tractor tire, (which is a big thing in cross fit), fill some bags with sand and throw them around and what not.
This brought me full circle to my log splitter, and it went from being “my log splitter” in the cart to “not my log splitter.” I glanced at my reflection in the mirror as I put on an under tank top and instead of quickly putting on my dress shirt and heading off to work I looked a little longer and expressed my gratitude not only for what I had, the healthy physique that is capable of wielding an eight pound splitting maul, but that I didn’t have a log splitter and that even in 20 degree weather I was warm from the very type of workout my brother now wanted for himself.
Comments