The Men In My Life

In honor of my dad, the man of very few words (except on paper), I have this to say: Thank YOU for the many long hours we shared silences together, only needing to "be" to become. In honor of my husband, whose ability to smile and find joy in everything: THANK YOU for seeing the good and the light in me, even when my silences can be loud and painful. Happy Father's Day to the two of you, one watching over me from somewhere and everywhere, one loving me and our family in any and every way.
- by Rowe Hoffer on 06 19 11

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The very first man in my life who showed me the importance of exercise and fitness was my father Col (and Atty) Diosdado Garcia Lapina.

The man I chose, choose and will always choose to spend my life with, the man who takes fitness to levels I never thought was even possible, my husband Miche Hoffer.

What a lucky girl I am to have (had) you in my life to inspire and challenge (and in Miche's case, to try and beat me on the bet).

From  Rowe's Room, growing up, it was usual to wake up to the sounds of my father hitting the punching bag at 6:00 am, the speed ball work, the jump ropes for quick feet.  All these, after he had already done his 4:30 am run of about 4 to 5 miles (sometimes, in bare feet).

Dad lived to 92, the only times ever having been hospitalized in his life were from an appendectomy in his 50s, then when he was 86 (when we realized he had diabetes -for decades!), then finally at 92 when his body was just plainly tired.  Even after his first serious diabetic seizure when he was "gone" for several seconds, after he had recovered and was able to walk about, I would find him doing wall pushups out in the front yard or doing punching moves.  He even talked about starting up his law practice.  LOL.

My girls, Ynez and Kajsa (aka Little Luvvies), have grown up to hear, see and know exercise as a lifestyle.  Thank goodness for our fitness gym being on the premises of our home.  They have been living a life of  our clients, classes every single day.  They have no questions about why we exercise, all they know is that people do.  In turn, as early as 3 years old, these girls have known what pushups, core work, pull ups are, among other things.  I pushed them around in their double strollers at our Monday and Wednesday Circuit classes around the Stanford sports complex as early as 4 months old.  They would then crawl around on a blanket at the end of the sessions when it was time for core work and stretches.  They know the layout of a track like it was their own yard, having watched Miche for years, every Sunday, training young athletes.  Now, it's not unusual for them to get on a lane each and do laps around (Ynez can actually go a full 400 meters without stopping).

I don't know whether sports and athletics will be something they'll do, or whether they will have theater in their system (like I did).  We will leave that up to them.  They have the good fortune, just as Miche did, to have two parents who are supportive and will not deny nor discourage them from trying things.  Whatever it is that they choose to pursue, whether it be athletics or theater or I don't know,  animal husbandry (couldn't think of anything else to say), one thing is for sure - that they are starting off with a strong understanding of the fact that everyone MUST exercise (in however way, shape and form).