I was at the gym yesterday - the gym closes at 10 PM. I got in around 9:20 PM, and did a 3 mile run. I don’t know what it is for me, but I feel like I go through a cleansing every time I go on a run. It’s great.
But that’s not the story. I was at the gym, I go through the shower and everything. I’m in a rush to get out because I feel sorry that I’m making the workers stay late because of me. I run out.
The minute I leave the gym doors I check my bag for all my clothes, and I realize that I left my underwear and shorts in the shower. The doors lock after closing time. I screwed up.
So I’m hoping the store managers would come back to the front desk near the door.
They don’t.
I time-box myself to wait 10 minutes. They don’t show up in the front. I start my walk back home, cursing underneath my breath to have slowed things down and double checked rather than rushing out, because… the workers also need to go home! It’s been a long day for them. The clothes I left may or may not be there tomorrow - the cleaner may just throw out my dirty clothes. I doubt there is a lost and found where they keep all dirty gym clothes that are festering with germs and sweat.
At this point, I realize two things.
- There is a backdoor to the gym. That’s why the employees never came back out. They must have a back entrance they prefer. This can mean a lot of things - I really think that there is a backdoor for almost everything. When going to a concert, trying to meet someone you really admire, or even a job application. There is definitely a backdoor somewhere to meet them. You just have to find it and crack it open.
-
Once the door shut behind me, gym time was done. No turning back. It’s over. Done. Game Over. Gym Over. There’s no point for me to wait there until the cows come home. What’s done is done, and it’s time to move forward. What I’ve been struggling with is the fact that during the past few months, I never took initiative and got to know someone I was interested in until they left. There’s been a lot of regrets on that.
But what’s done is done. There’s a reason why we don’t have eyes on the back of our heads. We move forward. We don’t let what’s behind us bother us for every step we take. Every second we spend looking at the past, we sacrifice seconds that could be spent moving forward.
Time to move forward!
P.S. I went back to the gym the following day. Fortunately, the clothes were on top of the shower curtains, and the cleaning crew probably failed to notice. I got my clothes back!!! =D.
First drafted May 11, 2019.