Life is not a race
Recently I increased my normal 3 mile hike to a 4 mile hike. Saturday was is a beautiful day and I knew I wanted to get outside and enjoy every minute. I started my hike a bit later in the day than I had hoped but I didn't really care because I had enjoyed all that the unfolded within the morning hours.
I got out of my car, put my earbuds in, turned my app on to track my trail and mileage and got out my hiking poles. Off I went, well sort of. I got out of the parking lot to almost to the trailhead and had to return to the car because I had on my glasses. I'm far-sided and don't ever hike in my glasses because of my of trifocal lens...if you have ever hiked in trifocals you will totally get what I'm saying! So back to the car I went.
I didn't let returning to the car bother me because the sun shining, the wind was gently blowing and the trail was before me.
I've been struggling with shin splits (before you tell me I need to do more stretching; believe me I know the importance of stretching and do it) and so today I loosened my boots just a bit to see if that would help. It did not help, it only created a whole slew of other problems like my feet sliding forward in my boots as I descended down hills. It wasn't helping with the shin splints on any level. I stopped, took my boots off do the specific stretches that I know are designed for that very thing and put my foot back in my boot and hit the trail again.
I felt deflated and almost defeated because I really wanted a 4 mile hike at a certain pace and I was no where close to that. Honestly I'm not even sure that I'd make it mile 2 much less to mile 3.1 where my car is sitting.
I finally decide that I'm going to slow down, physically hike much, much slower to find my footing.
Just as I think I'm doing OK, I pick up the pace just a bit more and then not once but three times the cord on my ear buds get tangled in my hiking poles (I have never had this issues, I have no idea what was wrong with me).
I get the earbud situation taken care of and I think, Amanda why in the world are you pushing to get the PR today? What is so important about your time? Why do you think you have to hike 4 miles instead of the 3? Slow down. There is much to hear, see and feel today.
Just when I am comfortable with hiking 3 miles instead of 4 my left ankle gives way and I feel myself falling face first into the leaves. On the way down my right knee hits a rock and I am covered in the damp leaves that line the trail. I simply lay there, my face in the dirt and my body covered in leaves. Slowly, I turn over look up at the blue sky between the trees that are trying to bud and finally get up.
I still had well over half a mile to my car and I laugh at the craziness of the hike today.
As all of this was happening, I could not help but think of the ways that someone around me might have set out to accomplish a specific project; excited about an opportunity, job opportunity, an arrival of a new addition to a family and find themselves experiencing a journey that is much harder than they ever anticipated.
I'm thinking about those who are walking in deep grief after an unexpected loss of a loved one. I'm thinking about the persons who have given all that they are; their heart, soul and mind to something they know they are called to only to have it be washed away like a sandcastle on a beach.
I was reminded that life is not a race.
The journey is not always what we anticipate, hope for or long for.
There are times when all we can do is lay right we are to find our bearings.
There are moments when all that we can do is look up and find something beautiful to concentrate on.
There are seasons when we must rise slowly out of the muck and mire to find the strength to keep going.
If you are walking a difficult journey, know that while it may feel lonely and unbearable there are others who are with you in spirit.
May this be a word of encouragement, a glimmer of hope and simple gesture of love pouring over you today.
I got out of my car, put my earbuds in, turned my app on to track my trail and mileage and got out my hiking poles. Off I went, well sort of. I got out of the parking lot to almost to the trailhead and had to return to the car because I had on my glasses. I'm far-sided and don't ever hike in my glasses because of my of trifocal lens...if you have ever hiked in trifocals you will totally get what I'm saying! So back to the car I went.
I didn't let returning to the car bother me because the sun shining, the wind was gently blowing and the trail was before me.
I've been struggling with shin splits (before you tell me I need to do more stretching; believe me I know the importance of stretching and do it) and so today I loosened my boots just a bit to see if that would help. It did not help, it only created a whole slew of other problems like my feet sliding forward in my boots as I descended down hills. It wasn't helping with the shin splints on any level. I stopped, took my boots off do the specific stretches that I know are designed for that very thing and put my foot back in my boot and hit the trail again.
I felt deflated and almost defeated because I really wanted a 4 mile hike at a certain pace and I was no where close to that. Honestly I'm not even sure that I'd make it mile 2 much less to mile 3.1 where my car is sitting.
I finally decide that I'm going to slow down, physically hike much, much slower to find my footing.
Just as I think I'm doing OK, I pick up the pace just a bit more and then not once but three times the cord on my ear buds get tangled in my hiking poles (I have never had this issues, I have no idea what was wrong with me).
I get the earbud situation taken care of and I think, Amanda why in the world are you pushing to get the PR today? What is so important about your time? Why do you think you have to hike 4 miles instead of the 3? Slow down. There is much to hear, see and feel today.
Just when I am comfortable with hiking 3 miles instead of 4 my left ankle gives way and I feel myself falling face first into the leaves. On the way down my right knee hits a rock and I am covered in the damp leaves that line the trail. I simply lay there, my face in the dirt and my body covered in leaves. Slowly, I turn over look up at the blue sky between the trees that are trying to bud and finally get up.
I still had well over half a mile to my car and I laugh at the craziness of the hike today.
As all of this was happening, I could not help but think of the ways that someone around me might have set out to accomplish a specific project; excited about an opportunity, job opportunity, an arrival of a new addition to a family and find themselves experiencing a journey that is much harder than they ever anticipated.
I'm thinking about those who are walking in deep grief after an unexpected loss of a loved one. I'm thinking about the persons who have given all that they are; their heart, soul and mind to something they know they are called to only to have it be washed away like a sandcastle on a beach.
I was reminded that life is not a race.
The journey is not always what we anticipate, hope for or long for.
There are times when all we can do is lay right we are to find our bearings.
There are moments when all that we can do is look up and find something beautiful to concentrate on.
There are seasons when we must rise slowly out of the muck and mire to find the strength to keep going.
If you are walking a difficult journey, know that while it may feel lonely and unbearable there are others who are with you in spirit.
May this be a word of encouragement, a glimmer of hope and simple gesture of love pouring over you today.
A good msg for so many of us right now.
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