I am The Number 37

A person's life is a like a story. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Like any good story you read, or novel, or poem, there's a general theme. There is foreshadowing and symbols. A reoccurring symbol in my life is the number 37. It follows me everywhere.

I am bound by this number.

My first encounter with the number 37 happened when I was very young. During my early childhood years, I was in a family of 7. My parents, my four siblings, and me. For some reason, we always had a minimum of 3 pets in the house. Two dogs and a bird. Three dogs and no bird (we don't speak of what happened to Sunshine). After three dogs it was three cats.

Then there was none.

Zero was my number for a couple of years.

Zero for the amount of stuff I got done in a day. Zero for the amount of friends I had. Zero for the amount of calories I felt comfortable eating at once. Zero for my test scores and zero for my number.

But the number 37 always lingered, just in other forms. I used to be an avid computer-gamer, my favorite game being Disney's Toontown Online. The highest level you could achieve in the game was 137, but I only ever reached 121. I could never fulfill the number 37. I was never quite good enough, never dedicated enough time, never focused hard enough, never was 37.

I remember the day Toontown closed. It was the day I could have sworn I died. I never got to beat the game and prove to myself that I was capable of being level 137. I cried a bit, I'll admit it. I cried because I was disappointed and felt like I had to say farewell to my childhood. No longer could I avoid the daunting responsibilities of life. No longer was I going to be held back my imaginary goals I could never achieve. It was time to stop living as a virtual character, and start living like a real one.

So I auditioned for my school musical, and it was procedure that you be given a number. My number happened to be 37.

I didn't think much of it at the time, but looking back now, I'm realizing the significance. The number was a sign that I was on the right track, although I didn't actually get a part in the musical. No matter, I got my number and I got my ticket to opportunity. 

I used to lie to people and tell them I weighed 130 pounds. It was easy to fool people by simply sucking it in or wearing baggy clothes. As I grew heavier, the number grew. I'd tell people, "I'm about 135-140. Maybe in between like 137 or something." But for the longest time, I was lying to myself. Sadly and shamefully, my weight was about 40 lbs off. I was in fact closer to 175 pounds, and 75 is almost double 37. I was too much for a lot of people, and myself. So I lost the weight. 

I recall the first time after losing some weight that I looked at the scale and saw the number, "137." I quickly stepped off the scale, in awe at the number that had just presented itself to me. Was it real? Did the scale need to be re-calibrated? It was not so, I had actually become the number 137. 

And I was happy with that number. I was proud of myself for finally becoming the character that I was in the game, in real life. 

But I am bound by 37. It's like a limit. I am capable of being more, although sometimes I don't want to be. I took my PFA today, and that's the main reason I'm writing this. I went into taking it with the goals below:

1 minute pushups: 40

1 minute sit-ups: 52

1.5 mile run: Under 13:00

I broke records for my sit-ups and 1.5 mile run and surprised myself with the things that I was capable of. However, when it came to the push-ups, I fell short. I told myself I just needed to crank out 40 and I would be set. I had done it before, and I planned to do it again. I've been doing 40 push-ups every night before bed and even more throughout the day. For some reason, when I was half way through my 37th repetition, I couldn't get back up. I had twenty seconds on the clock, but I didn't have it in me to get back up. I knew the ability was there, but I am 37. 

I'm a bit disappointed, yes, that I couldn't break 40, but I surprised myself in the other categories. I know what I am capable of and that is what matters. My results, according to the USAF Fitness Test Scoring Chart, my score came out to be 96/100. 

I guess 37 push-ups isn't so bad. It's who I am in a way. 

I am the number 37. 

My Actual Scores:

1 minute pushups: 37

1 minute situps: 61

1.5 mile run: 12:46

Just because I've taken this test, doesn't mean it's the end for me. I can still better myself. These numbers don't bind me, they just remind me.(;