Life: A Long, Hard, & Beautiful Run


Ecclesiastes 9:11

Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong, or bread to the wise, or riches to the discerning, or favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all of them.

"The ox is slow but the ground is patient."

I made a comment the other day on a Facebook Group comprised of those on the older side who are still trying to stay fit physically that I felt as if I had done my previous 4 mile run that day like a slow ox. Someone chimed in with this quote then disavowed any knowledge about what it meant. The group is called "Use It or Lose It."

I had not run in two months. Since surgery, I had been taking it easy. Not running or lifting--and I have the girth to prove it. But, the day my surgeon stated where I could resume all activities was March 9th. Thus, this week I have completed the 4 mile run three times. And it has hurt. So, the FB group could be titled "Lost It, Trying to Find It."

Before surgery, I could do the run in about 40 minutes. Now, I speculate I am closer to an hour. I am afraid the actually check. The run is a combination of hills and dales, dirt trails, and busy streets. Bossy dogs and distracted drivers. Geese on lakes, mud and asphalt. This is no running a flat track in circles. Instead, it has all of the ups and downs and changes of scenery that life itself has. I would have an existential crisis on a treadmill. Bored, like a hamster on a wheel.

I dread the run, love the run. It hurts yet it causes me to feel as if I am accomplishing something grand, even if is is only some internal Olympic-like spirit. I am competing against myself and my circumstances.  I am glad to be back running. Don't stop. Keep moving. No matter how slow. The race is not to the swift. But, to the persistent.          

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shake the Dust: Anis Mojgani

Pslam 90:2 "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." I am not real certain where Anis Mojgani comes from belief-wise. Cats like him tend to be synchrestic spiritually rather than Christ-centered. Yet, this poem captures the spirit of Jesus. What this poem also needs is grace....we shake off sin and mortality and take on Christ and immortality. This is for the fat girls This is for the little brothers For the former prom queen And for the milk crate ball players This is for the school yard wimps And the childhood bullies that tormented them Shake the dust. This is for the benches and the people sitting upon them. This is for the bus drivers driving a million broken hymns And for the men who have to hold down 3 jobs, Simply to hold up their children. For the nighttime schoolers And for the midnight bike riders trying to fly Shake the dust. For the two year olds who cann
Read more

White Shoes, White Stones

Rev 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that receiveth it. (ASV) With the white stone mentioned above in the Scripture verse, "And will give him a white stone" it is "Supposed that by the white stone is meant pardon or acquittance, and the evidence of it; and that there is an allusion here to the custom observed by judges in ancient times, who were accustomed to give their suffrages by white and black pebbles; those who gave the former were for absolving the culprit, those who gave the latter were for his condemnation." (Clarke) What has brought about this essay was my purchasing the other day of some very white and new Nike jogging shoes. My old pair of Nike's have been worn down. I was developing serious pain in my feet which is a solid sign that it is t
Read more

Going Rogue: Dare, Risk, Dream

Image
I picked up a bumper sticker at a Pub recently from the Rogue Brewery . On it there are the words: DARE, RISK, DREAM. Typically, the word Rogue is a negative term. I will let you decide if Sarah Palin and her book has made the word less or more so. Initially, I taped the bumper sticker to my computer lap top with the backing still on it in case I wanted to remove it. Just a second ago, I committed fully, and pulled the backing off and affixed it to my Dell. No turning back. Is that not an illustration of how to accomplish great things? We have to stick and commit. If we go taping ourselves to the backs of things, it leads to easier removal but also to tepid efforts. Now, if I take this bumper sticker off the back of my lap top it is going to be a mess...I am all in. Consequences be damned. My summer vacation officially began today at noon (why else would I be blogging at 3:26 am?) and my creed for the summer is DARE, RISK, DREAM. A Kerouac quote to light the fireworks... "Great th
Read more