I really wish Michelangelo were still around. But before I tell you why, I want to apologize to anyone who has a weight problem or, who might I say, is weight challenged. Please don’t be offended by this story.
Some years ago my wife and I were out of town and stopped for Sunday Mass at a local church. I was on my knees, trying to get my mind to wrap itself in prayer when a lady and two high school age girls, presumably her daughters, came and knelt directly in front of me.
When they turned to greet me I knew they were family; their pretty faces looked exactly alike. Alike, that is, except for the fact that the mother was at least 200 pounds overweight. Her pretty face was hidden by a soft, glowing ring of tissue.
In spite of my every effort, I was unable to keep my mind on God, prayer, or holiness. All I could think was if Michelangelo were here, he could see the beautiful woman trapped inside of a block of fat. That’s what he reportedly said about a block of marble; something like, “David is trapped inside, and all I have to do is chip away the marble and release him.”
And release him he did! David is one of Michelangelo’s most famous sculptures. Had Mick met this lady trapped in marble, I am sure she would have taken that fame from David. Her girls were beautiful and so was she, at least what I could see of her. All of the rest of my time in “prayer” was seeing Michelangelo chipping away. I prayed for success in discovering her “inner” beauty.
I was remaindered of this lady earlier this month when I met an 18 year old guy who wanted to be a marine. I wish you could have seen him. He was chiseled as if the great artist himself, had chipped him out of stone.
His perfectly “cut” muscles shimmered under his skin, his pecs were bulging through his shirt and his belly was flat and quivering with a rock-hard six-pac. Perfect except that he had a soft flap of belly skin hidden, tucked under his belt, the leftover of a once protuberant belly.
He explained that last year he decided he wanted to be a marine but the recruiter told him he was too heavy. He said he was 285 pounds when he made that decision. “I had to lose 100 pounds to make weight.” He told me. “But after I lost that, I felt so good that I lost 20 more pounds.” He did it by running, cutting out soda, eating fresh fruits and vegetables, and lifting weights.
It seemed to me that a year ago, he was David, or the lady in church, waiting to be freed. He did not wait for Michelangelo to chisel him out, but did it himself! I hope and pray the church lady was able to do the same thing. I still pray for her.