Cheesy, corny love songs

By Virginia Winder
I love the All Blacks.
The haka stirs me, sends shivers down my spine and makes my eyes well with pride. Yeah, I'm soppy.
Just watched the Men in Black annihilate Japan in a Rugby World Cup match.
Let's hope they can do the same to France next weekend.
Am loving the World Cup and there's such a buzz around the place and people are talking spontaneously about rugby and the excitement of this international sporting event.
New Zealand might be energised, but today I've felt slow. Might have been the mid-week band gig and then the USA versus Russia game and weeks and weeks of hard slog at work.
Went out for a three-course lunch at our local polytech, WITT, and only had two courses. My first course was a salad and my main was a vegetable curry, but I couldn't eat it all. Wow, my stomach must be shrinking!
This afternoon I had a sleep to conquer a headache (it worked). I adore mid-afternoon naps and they revive me incredibly. At 4pm I had a massage, which was divine. So relaxing!
When the women masseur asked me to get changed, I just stripped off. She offered to leave, but I wasn't bothered because I'm not ashamed of my body. I don't hate how I look or myself. Yes, I'm out of shape, but the truth is I love myself.
That may sound conceited, but let me explain. I have hated myself in the past, but that was when I was depressed and the world looked endlessly bleak. When you're in that state of mind the chances of making major positive changes are slim; you need to be well to do that.
So, it's only when I'm strong and have healthy thought patterns that I can go forth and rewire myself. You need a catalyst though; a tipping point that forces that change. My wonderful doctor was the one who pushed me and I thank her for that.
Yes, she was the one who questioned me, forced me to be realistic and think about other futures. She also laid down a challenge and I couldn't resist it. If I prove her wrong, I know she will be the most delighted of all. Well, after me of course.
Today's message then is about learning to love yourself.
If you need a soundtrack, listen to George Benson singing The Greatest Love of All.
Yeah, I'm having a corny moment, a sugar-coated Pollyanna pause. Perhaps my niece says it all: "Aunty Virginia, you're so cheesy..."
You bet!

Today, I:

Ate three healthy meals
Walked for 40 minutes (new shoes great)
Checked out a gym with plans to do the fitness classes and yoga
Had a massage
Worked for 5 hours
Had a 1 hour afternoon nap

Note to self:
Drink more water!!!