Reflections from the Road
That way you have something to do to keep from banging your head repeatedly against a wall. Also if you write anything stupid, you can take comfort in knowing that your brain was asleep while your body typed it up.
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It's a lot harder going uphill. A revelation, I know. Just wait though, because I am about to be profound. In running, like in life, the road is a winding and crooked path with lots of ups and downs. Sometimes you find yourself working harder than ever, struggling just to survive, and yet it looks like you are getting nowhere. You can gaze at someone on another path and they just seem to be flying. Then you realize something, they are on the downhill portion. You, however, are facing one of the hardest climbs of your life.
Sometimes, when you are going up a hill, just moving forward is a big deal. You should be praised. You are pushing 10x more than you ever have. But still, the progress looks pretty pitiful. We have times in life like this. The truth is only God will ever really know what some people go through, the challenges they face just to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Their pace may look slow, but considering what they are up against, they are amazing.
If you are in one of these seasons in life, take heart. Know that God sees your progress. He knows how hard it is for you. Keep holding on to him and trust that pretty soon you will be the one breezing down the other side.
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Runners have no special skills that I can see. People have been able to run since the beginning of time. No special training is required. There is really only one thing I have noticed that is required to run - determination.It makes sense to me now why people want to run in races such as "race for the cure" or compete in events for people they love who are suffering from a disease, or in memory of someone they lost. When you run in a race like this you don't really think you are going to win (unless you are Kenyan, I guess). The real race is against yourself. You are there to see if you can beat your last time, push yourself farther, do what you thought you couldn't.
The only thing you really need to do is just keep going. This is why it makes sense to me. If you are searching for a cure for cancer, helping a loved one through a trial, or grieving a loss, eventually you are gonna make it, as long as you just keep going. The important thing is not to give up. The time when you need to persevere is usually the time that you feel like it the least. But..... if you keep going, you will find that there is more inside of you than you ever would have believed.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up. Gal 6:9
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I wanted to run Bloomsday for Isabelle. Not for her really, but for me. In memory of her. That felt a little stupid to say. Also, I thought maybe I couldn't do it.
(Sometimes it is difficult delving into the deep recesses of your soul when you have a four year old, wearing a bright yellow monster truck shirt and a set of non-operational headphones, peering into your face asking, "What you doing mom?")
Anyhow, I'm guessing maybe I can do it after all.
I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me. PH 4:13
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