Mom’s Birthday Theme- Four Freedoms

The BackBlast:

Warmup: We trekked across sharon and north down providence to the side streets of foxcroft.

we circled up for SSH x16, Imperial Walkers x16, and a little arm & hip mobility work with a grapevine stretch. I told the PAX today’s theme was FDR’s Four Freedoms, inspired by my mom—born this very day in 1941 before pearl harbor, the same year Roosevelt laid out those freedoms in a State of the Union speech. She grew up seeing Norman Rockwell’s paintings as a kid, so in her honor (and because she’s 84 today), we took a trip through history Metro-style. Those four freedoms influenced much of our western educations, inspired Europe to fight tyranny, and founded the United Nations.

The Thang:
Freedom of Religion- We ran Hill #1, then hit 4 exercises at 4 reps in four hills with:
Squats
Wide-Arm Merkins
Monkey Humpers (because Rockwell always added a little humor)
Diamond Merkins
Those 16 reps represented the 16 cities where Rockwell’s Four Freedoms paintings toured to raise over $132 million in war bonds.
Freedom from fear-We ran Hill #2, repeated the same 4xWide Arms, reflecting on the gratitude we have for the ability to gather freely—even in the gloom.
Freedom from Want-We ran Hill #3, same 4x with monkey humpers, remembering that in 1943 people dreamed of security at home while fighting abroad.
Freedom of Speech- We closed it out with Hill #4 and our final 4x backwards up the hill. This one was for all those who sacrificed so we can run around like idiots in the dark, safe and free.

In total?
4 Hills
4 Exercises
16 reps total, symbolizing Rockwell’s 16-city war bond tour
Mary: Finished with a quick 84-second chat while we were in plank—because Mom is 84 today. She grew up knowing of Rockwell, and views that entertainment like some of think of Marvel Comics. They didnt have twitter and facebook back then, so their news all came through one managed feed.
COT: Shared a little about my mom—born July 15, 1941, while the world was at war, but still grew up seeing hope through Rockwell’s art, international travel, and ultimately landing in life down the street from the famous Sheffield, MA where Rockwell had a museum.
Prayer: For moms everywhere, for those still defending freedoms around the world, and for us to use our strength in service to others.

Moleskine:
Rockwell’s Four Freedoms paintings toured 16 cities in 1943–44 and raised over $132 million in war bonds. Today, we honored that legacy with sweat equity. You can still go today to honor his memory in Sheffield Massachusetts just above the Nutmeg border, and stop by the Red Lion in after seeing Rockwell’s museum, the same Bar my cousin met his wife while she was behind the bar.
FDR said these freedoms belong to everyone, everywhere. Today, we remembered they even belong to men monkey-humpering at sunrise in Charlotte.
Happy Birthday, Mom. 84 years young today.