Tough Girl Radio

I have always loved Pat Benetar.   I sang her songs when they first came out on the radio (remember when you only heard songs on the radio?), I bought her cassette tapes in my teens, I bought her greatest hits CD in my twenties, and I even sang her songs karaoke style at my bachelorette party in my thirties (and maybe a few other times).   I still turn up the radio really loud when I hear her music.   It makes me happy, and fills me with girl power.

This morning as I lay in bed not wanting to get up because it was rainy and chilly, I was listening to the radio, and guess what came on.........Pat Benetar's classic, "Hit me With Your Best Shot."  

I've often said that God is my DJ, and I think that this might be yet another classic case of a higher power communicating with me through my radio.  Ha.  

I've been a little down.   I went to the doctor this week, and although my toe doesn't require surgery, I do have to rest it for a while.   I can't do ANY exercising for 2 weeks, and even then, it's on a wait and see basis.   When you put that on top of the fact that I was sick before this latest foot incident, I will have been out of my training routine for 5 weeks before any CHANCE of returning and I know I won't be at full capacity for at least 6 weeks from now.    It has just seemed like when I get going, really moving ahead, that I get a blow to knock me back.   The toe being the most recent.   Last night I was really starting to feel a little hopeless about it.   I went to bed thinking about how hard I've worked, and that now all that work might have been for nothing, as I might not even be able to participate in this goal I'd set.   I was sad, and feeling a little defeated.

I finally fell asleep (very late) and then woke up to the sound of rain.   I was certain that I was going to have a bad day, and then BAM.....there's Pat.     Now I know that this song isn't about an imaginary entity out there trying to hold me back, but man....that's how I took it this morning, and it just revved me up.   I laid in bed and really listened to what she was saying.....and I decided right then and there that I wasn't going to take it.  

"You come on with your come ons,
you don't fight fair,
that's okay, see if I care.
You knock me down, it's all in vain,
I get back right on my feet again."

By the time this verse came on...I was totally committed.   No giving up.   Knock me down, and I'm back on the horse.   You can't stop me.   It may not be fair, and frankly...I can say, it's NOT.   But I have no choice but to keep moving ahead.   Staying still or falling back are not an option.   I'll be back.   I'll be back, and probably doing better, running faster, and working harder because of this.  

Go ahead world.   Hit me with your best shot.   I'm NOT quitting.    And for this little ray of sanity....I thank you Pat Benetar.   You reminded me what tough girls do when they get knocked down....they get up, dust themselves off, and fight back!