First I need to brag a bit about my husband. I am heading out of town this Friday for a 9 day fun trip for this Mommy! I get to visit my best friend in the WHOLE WORLD and meet my new niece, Lucy Claire. He is covering the house, the kids, the GARAGE SALE (Yikes!), lemonade stand (our daughter wants to sell lemonade for her trip to get her baby sister…I know, how cute can you get!), dance recital, graduation parties, etc, etc.
He is doing all this with excitement, a gracious heart and fully supporting my need for a bit of long overdue girl time. He’s the best!
And he started early this morning! Yep, I needed to get one last really long run in before I head out for all my partying. The past few days have been HOT and so I headed out at 6:30 and he made breakfast, dressed the kids, took them to school…you know, the morning drill!
I wish I could say that I had the most amazing run ever. NOT! I must have inadvertently eaten something with gluten yesterday. Around mile three my stomach began churning. I made it to mile 11 before I succumbed to walking. I had to stop numerous times and was eternally grateful for the full roll of toilet paper I found along the trial. THANK YOU GOD!
As I was trudging along, determined to just get this done, I noticed my shadow ahead of me. In the midst of all of my self pity and woe is me, my stomach never cooperates attitude, there it was. And the shadow looked pretty strong. Her arms were in motion, legs moving, head upright. Not at all like I perceived myself to be at that moment.
I spent the rest of that run determined to follow that shadow.
As I drove home, I was struck with the imagery of running with my shadow. I find myself so often consumed with what I feel like; I’m tired, I’m weary, my stomach is killing me, on and on. Yet, if I focused instead on who I am instead of what I feel like, I think things would be better. See, I’m stronger than I think. I can take more than I think I can. I can put my body through more.
Today I think I’m going to remember my shadow and keep running. Running until we get our referral, running until there is no more breath in me. Running because that’s life, it’s about living and being and doing!
I was born in Jos, Nigeria many years ago. I spent the next nineteen years living in Liberia, Kenya and Ethiopia.
Yes, keep running. Have a great trip! Oh, and C and L had a lemonade stand to raise money for charity once. In 2 hours they raised $73. People literally threw money at them. It was fantastic!
You are too sweet… It’s my heart’s desire for you to see Liz and have your first visit with our niece, Lucy Claire. I love to see you happy, rested, and fulfilled. We all need a little time off from the everyday routine…right? And it never hurts for me a to walk a mile (or a marathon) in your shoes! I hope you’ll blog from the road and update with pictures from everything you’ll be doing.