when i run, the
world just gets kind of quiet. not quiet in the sense that i silence the wind
or the cars that pass down the street adjacent to the constant pitter patter of
my running shoes against the sidewalk. not quiet in the way of blocking out the
ticks of changing stoplights and chirps of crosswalk signs. and not quiet as in
tuning out the sounds from the children playing kickball in their front yard or
the deep sound of me catching my breath on the turn of mile 3.
it just kinda
gets quiet in a different way that i can’t explain. it’s quiet without being
quiet at all. it’s kind of like white noise. but, there is always music in my
ears. i can’t run without the steady beat of something to match my footsteps to
or stay focused knowing i have 30 seconds left to run to the end of a song
before i stop for a quick breather. a lot of the time running is my therapy. 1 –
it’s free. 2 – it’s entertaining. the different roads and neighborhoods always
give a different view and a different feel to the air. and 3 – it’s where i go
when i want to let go.
and i like to
let go often.
the stress from
everyday life, the constant ringing of the phone, the text messages i don’t
want to answer but feel obligated to, the overwhelming emails, and people
asking this and that and can you be here at this time or the will you do this for me instead –
all that doesn’t exist in these miles. it’s all very simplistic. it’s just a
girl in gray, tight workout pants with a loose fitted shirt rippling in the
wind. it’s a pony tail flipping back and forth in the breeze matching the sway
of her arms and the bending of her knees, in unison, powering through her body
wanting to slow down but her mind telling her don’t stop. it’s a sweaty brow. it’s a pain in her right ankle that
still has to be supported by an ankle brace from an injury. but mostly, it’s a free mind.
i don’t know
what’s wrong with this world. years ago, we thought the shootings that happened
were so out of the ordinary and the thought of such a tragedy only existed in
the mind of the dark and twisted. these days we can’t go to a movie theatre,
send our children or feel safe about our little brother or sister in their
elementary school, or after boston’s tragic events today – even go for a run
without having to expect the unexpected. we can’t even go for a run to free our own minds anymore without
having to worry about the dark and twisted lurking in the shadows finding ways
to unveil their ugly hearts or outdo other evil ways done before them. more
people need to know God.
more people need to know our Savior.
i am one person.
i’m no one special really – just some chick who writes some stuff randomly,
some real such as this post and some completely made up that you guys ask me to.
and y’all come and read it. {thank you for that.} but i was at work today when i
heard the news in boston and it still hasn’t left my mind since reading the
news on my computer in horror. it makes me want to start a crazy movement, but
the reality is that i’m only one person and i’m all about being realistic. i’m only
one set of eyes in a sea of billions with different views and opinions. but i’ll
tell you if i could do anything, i would ask that we start to love instead of
continuing to hate. it can be as easy as that. it can be as simple like going
for a run. and the cool thing is, you can start anytime you want. to love
people – that is the only answer.
i ran tonight. i
had a lot on my mind i wanted to let go so i had a pretty long run as you can
see below. sometimes my thoughts drift to God and what’s going on in my life,
but tonight they were all about the innocent men and women and children running
the marathon and their families affected doing the same thing i was doing. i
was just moving my legs forward - one in
front of the other in a tandem pattern. so were they when it all changed in a
second. it only took a second and a loud boom to literally change the way they
trust, the way they view life and for some, the way they even look. some who
were injured today won’t ever get to free
their mind the way runners do ever again and i just can’t wrap my mind around that. why
world, why?
so if you can,
just remember – love, itself, is the only way.
boston, these
6.22 miles, as little as that may seem, were all for you.
xo
-A
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twitter: @agcrute
