Thank you in advance if you caught the New Kids reference. After completing the Chief Maloney Unity Run today, I realized how much fun it is to finish a run. There is no other feeling like it. Multiply that tenfold when it is a race, with people lined along the way, cheering for runners they don't even know. My foray into races is limited, but I get the addiction to it. So motivating.
Today, the sentiment was gratitude, emanating from every runner I passed or (mostly) passed me. But also, it was fun. It honestly did not feel like 5.6 miles. It went by so fast. I ran alone, so I didn't even have the distraction of conversation to speed it up. Hearing strangers cheer me on, particularly towards the end, was so encouraging. Seeing my kids and husband waiting for me at the finish line made my heart burst. Scanning the crowd, reuniting with old favorite students was fun.
The work of staying healthy, and challenging myself to do more, needs to be fun. If not, it becomes a chore and I have stopped doing it before I realize I'm not really having fun. If it's not fun, I have to make it so. Push myself to finish under a certain time, go a little bit further, finish before the next song comes on. Because really, what I am trying to teach myself is what I want my kids to see and learn. Jack said spontaneously, genuinely: "I'm proud of you, Mama." We were walking back to the car after the race. Then he said it 2 more times throughout the day, like he was surprised how proud he actually was. And it surprised me how good it felt to hear.
With gratitude,
Chellis
No comments:
Post a Comment