“Problems, be they economical, ecological, or whatever, are caused by a failure to see What’s There.  Unpleasant feelings come from illusions:  fear from What Might Be (which hasn’t happened yet), sadness from What Might Have Been (which is not necessarily what would have been), and so on. Piglets, living in fear of What’s Coming Next, What Can Go Wrong, What If I Do Something Foolish, and such, cannot enjoy and make the most of the present moment. Later, they look back and realize they didn’t live it.” (Hoff, B.

I am always curious when it comes to the questions people ask or don’t ask when they find out about Cystic Fibrosis. Life is all about asking the right questions, right? My good friend once asked me, “What does CF feel like?” Without giving the response much thought, I simply replied the common response; “It feels like breathing through a straw.” That answer doesn’t really do justice to the question. And, this question has resonated with me for a few years while I have articulated the answer.

The gym is always packed and frankly, I hate it.  I'd like to go hiking but the sun is so bright and my medications make me susceptible to burns.  I wouldn't mind swimming, but chlorine gives me a headache.  Skiing?  Too clutzy.  Mountain climbing?  Leave that to Brian. Rugby? Got kicked off the team after helping our opponent up after a tackle.  Cheerleading?  Not since college. Jogging?  Was fun until my knees hurt and my mom became faster than I was. Crossfit?

Just a few short years ago if you asked me if I could ever see myself writing a blog post for a blog focused on being active with cystic fibrosis I would have laughed.  As a child I was active. I woke up early just so I could jump on the trampoline. I danced and even did gymnastics for a few years. I rode my bike and rollerbladed around the neighborhood. I enjoyed being active and outside and somewhere along the way I lost that.