This past Saturday was the day I had been waiting for. I was psyching myself up to run four miles outside. Sure, it wasn't my usual Saturday long run but I was creeping slowly into fully recovered mode. I was visiting my parents, with Martinique in from Chicago, and thought I'd muster the courage for an outdoors run. It was wickedly cold that morning. My amazing, and always much too generous, parents suggested that all 4 of us go to the gym instead. What sweet relief!
So, there we were. Martinique, my mom and I, lined up and ready to go. It's really a special feeling to be a part of a family that feels the same way about healthy living. Through some unexpected surge of energy, I cranked out 6 miles and it was a glorious feeling! My cheeks were ruddy with accomplishment and my heart was like a resilient drummer who would never quit. I feared that my long days of resting would set me back. I guess not. My team mentor suggested that the rest could actually be beneficial but I didn't believe it until I proved it! My spirits soared.
I took those sanguine feelings with me on the Easter drive back and carried them with me on my three-mile jaunt the next afternoon. The air was chilly but refreshing. I had time to reflect on the weekend with my family and dwell in the knowledge that what we share is so wonderful. We see the worst in each other. We react swiftly and headlong. We are the topics of each other's long phone conversations and lengthy emails. Yet, somehow beyond all of that, we see in each other something dazzling and beautiful. We yearn to nurture each other's vast untapped potential for fulfillment. We love one another for who we are. Whether we are just setting out for that first mile or rounding the curve in the home stretch, they will be the ones pumping their fists in the air when we burst through the finish line.
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