I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.
I realized something this weekend that I should really keep in the front of my mind on a more regular basis. Each day is a gift, and what we decide to do with that gift projects our outlook on how we define quality of life. It is about taking the day and what it gives us and making the most if it. It is never giving up on your gift. It is about defining the principals of quality for those moments of each day, allowing hope to prevail that there is something good in every moment of every day.
Yesterday I had the privilege of attending The Biggest Loser Run/Walk in downtown Mobile. They had a 1 mile fun run, a 5k, and a half marathon. I wanted to be jealous that I was not running it, but I knew that was not a very productive attitude to have, and thank God I didn't because my experience would not have been so wonderful.
Upon my arrival, I believed to only be there to support someone very near and dear to me. I was ready with my camera, and map on my phone, to capture as much of her run as I could. I ran from the start, caught them at mile 4, and ran back to the finish to await her arrival and to celebrate her success. But, as I reached mile 4, I realized there was so much more to what I was doing. I found myself cheering for people I have never even seen, getting thank you's from people who were clearly out of breath. A few high-fives and several cheers later, I made my way back to the finish line. All I could think about was how thrilling that was. I said to myself, "It is race season and I love it!"
Upon my arrival, I believed to only be there to support someone very near and dear to me. I was ready with my camera, and map on my phone, to capture as much of her run as I could. I ran from the start, caught them at mile 4, and ran back to the finish to await her arrival and to celebrate her success. But, as I reached mile 4, I realized there was so much more to what I was doing. I found myself cheering for people I have never even seen, getting thank you's from people who were clearly out of breath. A few high-fives and several cheers later, I made my way back to the finish line. All I could think about was how thrilling that was. I said to myself, "It is race season and I love it!"
Once I arrived at the finish line, I took a step back (metaphorically) and just soaked it all in. The lifestyle of a runner is a beautiful thing, and terribly underrated. I was surrounded by people who were there for the same reasons I was. The atmosphere was extraordinary. There were thousands of people there, all playing a part in the success of these runners (including themselves). There were wonderful volunteers, there were bands, there were motivational speakers, there was great music, there were hundreds of spectators....all the people you would expect an an event like this. But what goes unrecognized by many are small things each of these people are doing. The creative signs, the rushing of those trying to get that perfect picture, the cheering for strangers, the motivational phrases to those who appear to be struggling, the children running to the finish line with their parent(s), the runners who already finished but go back to find their friends and run them in to keep them going, the costumes, the food donations and so much more. In that moment of soaking it all in, I realized something very important: everyone was smiling! It was as if everyone pressed pause on any stress or challenge they have been facing and enjoyed the hours of complete happiness.
What a great experience for first time runners, first time half-marathoners, and first-time 5k-ers. Those who are seasoned in running enjoyed the awesome course and may have PR'd (just as MJ did). Though many participants had looks of pain on their face, they were still able to squeeze out a smile, wave, or thank you every time I cheered for them and yelled motivational quotes. They CHOSE to be happy, despite what their muscles may have been telling them. There were people who had knee injuries, arms in slings, limps, and other ailments, yet nothing was stopping these people from finishing! It is an amazing phenomenon; one we should all be so lucky to experience.
Race season is a blessing in disguise. It is a time to collaborate with complete strangers who share the same goal as you and form a tiny world where everyone is happy and can celebrate in harmony from mile one to mile 3, 13, or 26. It is about sharing ideas, tips, trends and experiences with friends and strangers. It is about welcoming people from other states, and being welcomed when it is your turn to travel for a race.
It is about knowing that whatever comes of the day, you DID SOMETHING, you accomplished something, you supported something and most importantly you stood for something! You don't only celebrate crossing the finish line, you celebrate how proud you are of your runner, yourself for running, the person you ran next to, the respected pride you have for others who ran the race and the pride you have for those who supported you along the way.
It is about knowing that whatever comes of the day, you DID SOMETHING, you accomplished something, you supported something and most importantly you stood for something! You don't only celebrate crossing the finish line, you celebrate how proud you are of your runner, yourself for running, the person you ran next to, the respected pride you have for others who ran the race and the pride you have for those who supported you along the way.
Other celebrations occur for the gift of being able to run, having the chance to run, having the chance to inspire, make a difference and motivate others. We celebrate our health, our well-being and our will. We also thank God for providing us with such beautiful days, grace, faith and trust.
Words cannot describe how proud I was, not only for every runner, but for MJ in particular. She set a goal and she reached it, despite of her feats of injury. She motivates me daily, and throw her into a group of thousands of others with her same mindset and all you can do is ask yourself, "where can I sign up?"
I am proud to be a runner....and even more proud to be a part of the running community.
So what is it about race season that we could apply to every day life? How can we make our every days small worlds of happiness? Try assigning quality to it and hope life reciprocates that gesture. If something comes along in your day to take away from that quality, find something good about that particular speedbump and be thankful for it, because nine times out of ten, it probably taught you something.
Peace, Joy and Happiness,
Beth
Beth
Good thoughts, Beth! I am reading a book calle d29 Gifts in 29 Days written by a woman with MS. Someone suggested she give gifts every day for 29 days and she writes about how it transformed her attitude.
ReplyDelete