On 9/11, most of us woke up with the usual moans and groans, perhaps cursing the fact that it was time to get out of bed.  Many of us reluctantly put on our workout clothes and wearily brushed our teeth in preparation for an early morning workout. Then came the shocking news of terrorist attacks against America.  My workout forgotten, I watched in shock as buildings crumbled and thousands of innocent people died.

I think we all experienced a shift in perspective yesterday.  Suddenly, the worries about exercise, weight loss and six-pack abs seemed petty and useless.  Suddenly, I was grateful that I was whole and healthy and I felt blessed to be alive and well.  Seeing people running for their lives to escape the collapsing buildings made me feel guilty about even considering going for a causal jog around the neighborhood.

Dealing with the fallout from yesterday's tragedies means praying for the victims across the country and doing what we can to help.  It means being grateful that we're safe and healthy and it also means relegating our usual worries to the background for a while.  As we slowly get back to normal life, perhaps we'll feel differently about exercise and health.  Instead of having to force ourselves to eat healthy and exercise, maybe we'll feel grateful that we have that option.