The Co - Presidents of the Mall Walkers Club (MWC)
In a small daily action like walking - I saw the ability to be Pleroo, the Hebrew word meaning 'to fill to the brim'
One place I frequented this holiday break and quite enjoyed was the Brookfield Square Mall. But it wasn’t for reasons that you might expect.
No - it was not primarily to do the last minute Christmas shopping or to spend hours in the food court inhaling the aromas of Auntie Anne's and Cinnabon. Rather, it was to join in one of my parents’ favorite daily activities - walking. Coming out of break, I have officially named them co-presidents of the Mall Walkers Club.
What is the Mall Walkers Club? Only the most exclusive, grooviest, and most intense group that invades the halls of malls across America. In all seriousness, the Mall Walkers Club includes some dedicated individuals. They are those who prioritize the step game and will frequent malls during the cold winter season to get their daily steps and exercise. Seeing my parents over the holidays, I am proud to say that they deserve the title of co-presidents of the MWC.
One thing you need to know about my parents is that they love their walks. Since 2016 - they are consistently achieving daily step goals that include 10,000 steps, one 30+ minute intense walk, and five 500 step walks throughout the day.
Each time they complete these three daily goals, they are rewarded with money back in their insurance program. Since starting - it is something that has become second nature to them and honestly I am proud of them for it.
Sometimes I make jokes with them and there have been times where we would be somewhere and suddenly they disappear because they have to go find a long straight path to walk to ensure they get their steps. When this happens - I am always glad to see them return and I have not lost them yet in the process. No matter how tired or busy they may be, they have consistently made this a priority in their daily rhythm.
Going home - I once again got to see this rhythm first hand. Dad would come home from work at 5:30 and mom would be ready to go - mall walking shoes on. They would head out the door and an hour or so later return rejuvenated and filled with joy. After a couple of days - I thought of joining them and let me tell ya - it was quite an experience. I found this to be a time for the two of them to release stress from the day, sharing the good and the bad, and in the process staying fit together.
They have found something small to do daily that they both enjoy and continue to bond over. It might be silly to some - but I have seen their love for one another grow through the small daily actions of walking together. They are literally walking through life side by side.
I asked my dad since starting - how many steps he thinks he has and this was his response:
In calendar 2021, I had 4,801,000 steps. In calendar 2020, I had 5,400,000 steps. I have data that goes back to calendar 2016.
My mind was absolutely blown. Something so small has added up to something so large through daily consistent action. 10.2 million steps in two years!
Walking side by side with them the couple of times I did - I saw first hand what walking meant to them. It was so simple yet so impactful. Walking gave them the feeling of Pleroo - the Hebrew word for full.
In John 15:10 it tells us that if we abide in His love, then His joy will remain in us and our joy may be full. As we abide in Him, we look forward to the wedding feast of the One who loves us with an everlasting love and gave His all for us to be with Him.
When the above verse tells us our joy may be full, it uses the word ‘pleroo’ which literally means ‘to cram in, to satisfy, to complete, to fill entirely, and perfect’. If we allow ourselves to be filled entirely with His joy, then the enemy has no room to cram in any of his doubts or disappointments.
In a small daily action - I saw the ability to be Pleroo. It didn’t take much - just their own two feet- but in this action, their love for one another has grown over the years. Maybe you have to see it to believe it but my parents reminded me that life is made up of small moments and it is what we do in the small that determines our big - what we do in the small determines our how pleroo our lives can be.
So as we continue into 2022 - I ask you, what are you doing daily to fill you up? Maybe for some it's a walk like my parents and maybe for others - it's turning on that same song that brings you joy to start your day. Find something daily that fills you up and stick to it. Over time - you might just have 10.2 million reasons to smile and you’ll have that daily activity to thank.