Well it has been a few days since I posted anything and I really have no excuse except to say that I just did not get to it. Some of you brought it to my attention that you notice when I don't blog and I take that as a good thing. So here are a few thoughts from the past couple of days. Oh, and I am trying something new with the advertisements on the side of each post. I hope that it is not distracting. They are supposed to be somewhat relevant to what I write about so feel free to click away and see what you find!
Yesterday I did my long run for the marathon training. I had 8 miles to run and decided to do it first thing that morning. This was the longest distance I had run in a long time. The weather was beautiful and I had my iPod on and ready to go. Mile 1 and 2 were great - I was running a good pace, loving life, feeling good, singing with my music and thanking God for this great run! Mile 3 and 4 were still good but I could tell that I was starting to breathe a little heavier and trying to focus on those positive thoughts I always talk about. By mile 5 and 6, I was not feeling as great and sweating a lot - but still persevering. At mile 7 I was struggling to keep up the pace, no more singing, and praying that God would get me to the end! Then at mile 8 I found that extra burst of energy and got to the finish line and then collapsed :) I always talk about how running a race, especially a long-distance race, is as much mental as anything else and I proved that to be true once again. I was very glad to make it to the end and afterwards I had to laugh at myself for going from great bliss at the beginning to gasping for breath at the end!!
On a different note, I wanted to touch on a specific moment during my day today. When I do laundry, I wash my clothes and then take them to a laundry mat to dry them. This is simply because I have not taken the time to find the parts to properly connect my dryer. Some of you may also know that I enjoy going to this particular laundry mat because it is nice, there are flat screens TV, and you get free popcorn - how much more can you really ask for in a laundry mat? I have been many times but today as I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed two homeless guys sitting off to the side. There is a creek that runs in front of the laundry mat and a bridge not far off. I looked and noticed that a few other homeless guys actually lived under that bridge. They had created a shelter of sorts and spend their days just trying to make it to the next. I know that Nashville has a homeless population, but to see it so up close really left me frustrated. I always wonder what their story is and how they got to this place. We all struggle with what to do when we see someone in need. Of course you want to help, but it is hard to know what is best. I know that many of these people are ignored and overlooked but in all actuality, we are all the same. A few really hard moments in life and any of us could be in that situation. I have tried to help when I can and I always remember my dad helping many people out - but it always makes you want to do more. I definitely want to search out ways that I can make a more impactful difference than just giving a dollar here and there. I would love to hear any ideas, suggestions, or experiences any of you have had.
I love running and it always a metaphor for life. In a race you have to persevere and your mental attitude plays a large role in what will get you to the finish line. Life is the same way. We set goals and some days are great and some days are not. However, getting the most out of life has a lot to do with our attitude towards it and learning the lessons that come our way. Today, my lesson learned was that we are all in this together and we are much more alike than we are different. I should not ignore, overlook, or prejudge others simply because of their circumstances. Instead I would encourage all of us to look for ways that we can really make a difference and be a friend to those in need.
Today I am grateful for: 1. A great run yesterday (for the most part) and finishing it 2. Really nice weather and being outside to enjoy it 3. Trying a new restaurant last night - I will definitely be going back 4. Being reminded to sometimes see others in a different perspective 5. Challenged to look for more ways to make a difference
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