How do I put into words everything that you have done for me and what it means to me?
You see, what you have done goes beyond the physical. While it’s true that you took me from a soft, flat, tired and depleted little body to a hard, solid and more muscular (yet feminine) body, that is only the obvious outside change. What counts is what you have changed inside.
In high school, I would longingly gaze at the J Crew catalogue and wish I could be that thin so that I would “fit in” with my peers. In college, my opinion of what was beautiful began to change, and I found myself appreciating the more toned, fit body type. I would look at Monica and Kelly in Muscle and Fitness, Ironman and Flex and wonder if I could ever look like those girls. I lifted, I ran, and I lifted some more. But I still couldn’t seem to get it right. Frustrated, I gave up and focused on my running. But in the back of my mind, I couldn’t let go of the body image I dreamt about. My confidence level, however, was less than zero.
Then, when I met a certain trainer who shall remain nameless, I thought I had finally found the person who could unlock my “potential.” I threw myself into training, but alas, my efforts got me nowhere. I was on the brink of giving up again…and then I was introduced to you.
You have given me the body of my dreams, literally. I can hold my head high knowing that I look the best I have ever looked in my life, after 3 decades on this earth, and two kids later. I can walk tall knowing I chased my dream, and in many ways have already caught it. I can look in the mirror and smile at myself, because I see a strong, confident woman.
But it doesn’t end there. You have been a friend, mentor and father figure to not only me, but countless girls. You listen to our sometimes endless troubles, give us sound advice, patiently encourage us to stay true to ourselves and never give up. You share our victories, and pick us up when we fall. You support us without coddling us, encourage us without applying pressure, and kick us in the ass when we’re screwing up, and then hug us when we’ve unscrewed ourselves. You put 200% of yourself into each one of us every day, whether we’re Monica Brant or doing our first little show.
So, the only thing I can say is thank you: thank you for loving what you do so much, for believing in me and every girl who trains with you. Even if I never did a show again, you have given me a gift that I will never lose, and that is the gift of self confidence, poise and the peace of knowing I followed my rainbow.
