Sunday, September 16, 2007

Maintaining the Status Quo

My dear friend Deni said that once she saw the Kimkins program as a speeding train. She was warned not to remain on that train and instead sit on her bench at the train station and wait for travelers to come off of the train. I too sit on that bench… and every now and then we journey down my road, stopping for a while to rest with our friend Becky at her tent… But then, I come back to the train and I am saddened at worried. I look through the windows and I see friends. Many of whom I did invite aboard with me. They are my friends, my allies, my confidants, my support system. But what true friend would I be if I allowed them to continue without warning them of the impending danger that is to come? The more I read and research the more I realize the grave danger I put myself in, and others in, through my use of the Kimkins diet program.

It breaks my heart that these people who used to be my friends have now labeled me as an outsider; a “hater.” I did not get my research and proof of what I found from “anti” blogs or forums contrary to what has been reported to you. Doesn’t it seem odd that “my friend,” the founder of that program would not provide me with the medical proof that I asked for? And I asked not only as a concerned friend, but as the Public Relations representative in order that I might represent what I believed in whole heartedly. But I was given nothing to stand on. No concrete to plant my feet on, as I desperately sought a way to defend my decisions and they way I had led my life for almost a year. Instead, I was left floundering in assumptions of my greatest fears, later confirmed by my own studies. I understand. I was just as disillusioned as you are trying not to be… maybe even more so. I was on the cover of a magazine telling the world of a program which I had assumed to be safe!

My friends I implore you, you have heard my heart. You have read my words. I, of all people, would be the first to jump up and shout to the rooftops if I could prove Kimkins to be safe for general dietary use! This is what I asked Kimmer for. I wanted to promote Kimkins with integrity and honesty. I wanted to be able to show without a doubt that it was a good program. But, try as I might, I could not.

I am a real person. I’ve met some of you, others I’ve spoken with over the phone. You’ve seen pictures of me through my journey, of my friends and family members with me. Please trust your heart. I am your friend, the one you looked up to. If you joined Kimkins because you saw my face and trusted me when I proclaimed that you too can lose weight, trust me again. You CAN lose weight; AND you can do it healthfully. Do not be pulled into the “comfort” of the train ride or a fear to go against the status quo… that train is headed for a ravine and the bridge is out my friends.

I want to leave you with this old story about a king. This king‘s life was saved and he didn’t even know it till it was too late.

A King and His Hawk

One morning when he was home from the wars, he rode out into the woods to have a day's sport. Many of his friends were with him. They rode out gayly, carrying their bows and arrows. Behind them came the servants with the hounds.

It was a merry hunting party. The woods rang with their shouts and laughter. They expected to carry much game home in the evening.

On the king's wrist sat his favorite hawk, for in those days hawks were trained to hunt. At a word from their masters they would fly high up into the air, and look around for prey. If they chanced to see a deer or rabbit, they would swoop down upon it swift as any arrow.

Towards evening they started for home. The king had often ridden through the woods, and he knew all the paths. So while the rest of the party took the nearest way, he went by the longer road through a valley between two mountains.

The day had been warm, and the king was very thirsty. His pet hawk had left his wrist a flown away. It would be sure to find its way home.

The king rode slowly along. He had once seen a spring of clear water near this path. If he could only find it now! But the hot days of summer had dried up all the mountain brooks.

At last, to his joy, he saw some water trickling down over the edge of a rock. He know that there was a spring farther up. In the wet season, a swift stream of water always poured down here; but now it came only one drop at a time.

The king leaped from his horse. He took a little silver cup from his hunting bag. He held it so as to catch the slowly falling drops.

It took a long time to fill the cup; and the king was so thirsty that he could hardly wait. At last it was nearly full. He put the cup to his lips, and was about to drink.

All at once there was a whirling sound in the air, and the cup was knocked from his hands. The water was all spilled upon the ground.

The king looked up to see who had done this thing. It was his pet hawk.
The hawk flew back and forth a few times, and then alighted among the rocks by the spring. The king picked up the cup, and again he held it to catch the trickling drops.

This time he did not wait so long. When the cup was half full, he lifted it towards his mouth. But before it had touched his lips, the hawk swooped down again, and knocked it from his hands.

And now the king began to grow angry. He tried again, and for the third time the hawk kept him from drinking.

The king was now very angry indeed. "How do you dare to act so?" he cried. "If I had you in my hands, I would wring your neck!" Then he filled the cup again. But before he tried to drink, he drew his sword.

"Now, Sir Hawk," he said, "this is the last time."

He had hardly spoken before the hawk swooped down and knocked the cup from his hand. But the king was looking for this. With a quick sweep of the sword he struck the bird as it passed.

The next moment the poor hawk lay bleeding and dying at its master's feet.
"That is what you get for your pains," said the king.
But when he looked up for his cup, he found that it had fallen between two rocks where he could not reach it.

"At any rate, I will have a drink from that spring," he said to himself.
With that he began to climb the steep bank to the place from which the water had trickled. It was hard work, and the higher he climbed, the thirstier he became.

At last he reached the place. There indeed was a pool of water; but what was that lying in the pool, and almost filling it? It was a huge, dead snake of the most poisonous kind.

The king stopped. He forgot his thirst. He thought only of the poor dead bird lying on the ground below him.

"The hawk saved my life!" he cried, "and how did I repay him? He was my best friend and I have killed him."

He clambered down the bank. He took the bird up gently, and laid it in his hunting bag. Then he mounted his horse and rode swiftly home.




I am swooping down again to knock down your cup… but will you put away your sword?

10 comments:

Unknown said...

Beautifully said Christin. I hope and pray that your words will reach those who most need to hear it.

Bella said...

Very poignant story Christin. I hope you will try to remember that each of has choice in each and every moment- when you encouraged others to join Kimkins, it was up to them to ask themselves if it was the right thing to do for themselves! And if they did, then that was their choice and they hopefully will learn from it. We are all human, and all our experiences teach us. Much love to you, Bella

Ann Marie said...

I was one who looked up to you and believed in you. Still do. How can you not believe in someone who has been such and inspiration.. so what Kimkins stinks and isn't healthy what is inspiration isn't what plan you used but the fact you did it.

I am glad I found your blog and can keep up with your journey.

I will admit I haven't found the exit I am getting off of yet.. but I am kinda riding the train with my head stuck out the window if that makes sense. I am doing it but not doing it.

Carly

Vickie said...

Christin..that was absolutely beautiful. Thank you for sharing your heart this way.

Deborah said...

Dear Christen,
When you knew better you did better, thats all God asks from you. You are such a blessing to so many people. Thank you for sharing such a beautiful story. I might not always post but I do stop in to see how you are doing. You are so loved!!!
God Bless
Debbie

chickycola said...

Christin,
Great story with an important message, it's important not to just react, but to understand others actions.
It's wonderful to be reminded of this, I wish more people would know this story.

Thank you!
Janice

Sara said...

Christin --

You are a woman of great integity; anyone who fails to see that has to be unplugged from reality.

Thanks!

Sara

kristi said...

Christin,

I am on that train, and as someone else said, I am trying to figure out when to jump off. I am 11 pounds away from my goal and am trying to step into a healthy maintenance. I thank you for your inspiration and your truth. I am happy that I am able to keep up with you via this blog. Any helpful info/sites you have would be much appreciated for my journey into maintenance.

Amy said...

Christin, I wanted to believe so much in this plan. You inspired me from the first moments I saw your pictures on that magazine to the moments where you personally responded to my messages. You and I are the same age. That really helped me to see that it's not over for me yet and I felt like I finally found my chance but right now I feel so let down I want to cry. I'm severely overweight and now I feel like that last shred of hope for "normalness" is gone. I don't want to do something that is dangerous and unsafe and yet I want to find that same freedom you found. Please tell me there is hope. I applaud you for taking a stand, but now, I just feel like I need answers and just a little hope.

Dave said...

Wow, Thats an incredible acheivement looking at those before and after photos.
When is started dieting I found what worked for me in my weight loss program is a balanced diet with lots of protein and green veg to fill up on, also I limit the carbs as much as possible.