Happy Birthday Dalia
Rachel Strumberger wishes Dalia a Happy Birthday
To My Dear Personal Trainer – Dalia
I will never forget my first session with you. We walked through the woods up to a hilltop with a beautiful view, and when we reached the top we spoke about the program, my life style and things I like to do. I began explaining to you why I wouldn’t be able to run or bike so often that you couldn’t understand how busy my lifestyle was, that I just didn’t have that much spare time. I remember telling you that I loved to take pictures and that this was a beautiful place to come back to and photograph, and you said “of course you should come back with your camera”, my immediate response was, “that’s not going to happen, I have no time”. You looked right at me with a very serious face and said… “Are you acquainted with the שר הביטחון? Do you have less time than him???” From that day on, I learned that no matter what excuses I tried to make up for not doing things, “not having time” was not one of them.
You have taught me the importance of finding time for myself, making time to do the things I want to do. When I started at your studio, I never made time for myself. It was always family, work, kids, friends, always someone or something that required my attention. You taught me that if I didn’t find time for myself, I would not have the strength to deal with everything else around me.
This gift is a timer. Something we set, that measures time and lets us know when the time we have allocated to something is over. I have learned from you that in life we have time for everything that needs to get done. We just need to allocate the right amount of time to each thing. When I saw this timer, it reminded me of you, telling me to remember to divide my time correctly. When the buzzer rings, move on to the next thing, and always remember to make time for myself.
The shape of the timer is a telephone – TALKING! For me this symbolized all the talking we have done over the past 8 months. Dalia, you are not only an exercise coach, you are a life coach as well. You see the whole picture and you have taught me to do the same. I hear you and listen to you when I am with you in a class, and I hear you and listen to you even when I’m not with you. I constantly hear your voice in my head from the minute my alarm goes off at 5 a.m. and I’m too tired to get up, there’s your voice saying, “just swing your legs out of bed, put on your shoes and go…do not think, just get out of bed”. I hear you when I’m having a really hard time at work and am under so much pressure, there’s your voice telling me “don’t let things get to you, put the negative thoughts out of your mind. Think positively, every morning we wake up to a new day with new strengths, take the time to do what you love and what makes you happy.” I mostly hear your voice when I’m exercising, when I’m sure I cannot run or bike that last ½ kilometer, your voice is right there telling that I CAN do it, just a little bit more, slow down, try hard, push yourself.
Dalia, Thank you:
For always caring
For all the work you do so whole heartedly
For remembering all the little details of my life
For always being concerned and making sure all is good
For your physical as well as mental guidance on the days when things are a bit more difficult
For pushing me forward when I wanted to stay behind.
It is so rare to come across someone like you, who so truly cares about others, you care with all your heart, and thanks to you being who you are, I have accomplished so much over the past 8 months.
Thank you and Happy Birthday.
Rachel