Some Humor and Some Seriousness
Today I am grateful for rest and perspective only gained with some patience and an open mind and heart.
Yesterday I was exhausted on several levels. Physically, from running 26.2 miles on Sunday. Mentally, for the same reason. Emotionally, because I was feeling a range of emotions from the experience itself and post-run. Spiritually, because grace and gratitude get tested by large questions like "why and why not?"
Today, after more rest and time to let everything about this latest marathon soak in and settle, I am back to grace and gratitude. Deeply appreciating that Darcy and I made it to the start line together, and each of us finished on our own terms. Our health and our marriage are priorities in our lives and we honor them both with our shared marathon experiences.
I went out too fast in the early miles and paid for it in the later miles. Experienced or not, it's easy to get caught up in the fresh air, the endorphins, the crowds of people. I never doubted I would finish though.
This sign was somewhere around mile 10, and I appreciated the humor in it as only crazy distance runners can:
Yesterday I was exhausted on several levels. Physically, from running 26.2 miles on Sunday. Mentally, for the same reason. Emotionally, because I was feeling a range of emotions from the experience itself and post-run. Spiritually, because grace and gratitude get tested by large questions like "why and why not?"
Today, after more rest and time to let everything about this latest marathon soak in and settle, I am back to grace and gratitude. Deeply appreciating that Darcy and I made it to the start line together, and each of us finished on our own terms. Our health and our marriage are priorities in our lives and we honor them both with our shared marathon experiences.
I went out too fast in the early miles and paid for it in the later miles. Experienced or not, it's easy to get caught up in the fresh air, the endorphins, the crowds of people. I never doubted I would finish though.
This sign was somewhere around mile 10, and I appreciated the humor in it as only crazy distance runners can:
This one was further along on the course, around mile 18, when things had gotten tougher for me:
The chuckle I got from the first sign was replaced by a pause and tears welling up at this second sign.
"Some never make it to race day" can mean a lot of different things. That's the point. We give our lives, and the daily unfolding of hours, their true meaning by how and why we live.
I strive to live in humble gratitude, to be a positive contributor, to be of service for good in the world. I am perfectly imperfect. Still, practice makes progress possible. Gratitude practice brings meaning to life. Running feeds the energy that allows me to live gratefully.
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