Reason or Excuse

I went to the gym that night.  As I sat down on my favorite stationary bike, I caught the first whiff of Cologne Man.  Twenty feet away, I could hear Princess Yak Yak and the Duchess of Drama critiquing the fashion choices, weight, and morals of a classmate.  

I wanted to go sit in the sauna, but I asked myself if being annoyed was a reason or an excuse not to exercise.  Chest pain was a reason not to work out.  Ditto diarrhea.   Cologne and gossip seemed like excuses.

Over the years I’d met many people who’d confused reasons and excuses. People who had walked ten miles to buy drugs, but wouldn’t drive five miles to NA meeting because they didn’t trust GPS to get them there.  People whose names had been in the newspaper after their second DUI who were embarrassed to go to rehab.

I didn’t think not working out and failing to deal with an addiction were on the same level, but mistaking excuses for reasons seemed like a bad habit to get into.

Today I won’t mistake an excuse for a reason.

Dogged Determination ©2018 & 2019 by Ken Montrose

Dogged Determination is a work of fiction. Any similarity between the characters and anyone you might know is purely coincidental.

Other works by Ken Montrose are available at: www.greenbriartraining.com https://www.pinterest.com/kenmontrose/mt-rose/