My morning run is what I do to organize and sort my thoughts and life. It is my 40-45 minutes where I brainstorm, set goals, think about grocery lists, and what has to happen that day. Lately, my runs have thrown me a curve ball. I have been very upset by the climate of our upcoming Presidential election. While running, my emotions have run the gamut of sorrow, fear, helplessness and anger. Even my “breakfast club” could not bring me out of my funk. (See Music and Running, Part One.)
Then this past week, while running, I decided I needed a reality check.
I thought about our United States Armed Forces.
There are men and women who sign up to serve and protect our country every day. There are Veterans who have fought in wars, all of whom deserve our respect and acknowledgment of their achievement to keeping the freedom we take for granted, and even forget about, perhaps daily. I know, that sounds horrible, how can we forget? We do because we live busy, full lives, thanks to their protection and to this amazing America where we are so blessed to live.
All this got me going, and to be honest, helped increase my running distance and time. It’s OK to feel what you might about this upcoming election, but let’s look at the brighter and bigger picture. We can help change the world a little bit every day, just like our heroes in the military.
How? Now, you may call me a “Pollyanna” but a smile is a start. Then, a “Thank you” to that Veteran you know. A “May I help you?” to someone who is having a hard time with groceries in the parking lot, or noticing when someone looks particularly nice and giving a compliment. It is a start, but I think we all need to start, and maybe it will catch on and the climate will change. It takes practice as it all starts with practice, doesn’t it?
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” Theodore Roosevelt
In the meantime, my runs have all ended with one particular song this week. Please forgive me if you have heard it played too much on Windy 103.9 FM, but it has helped me tremendously. It gave me the kick I needed to pull me out of a hole I was sinking into and helped me carry on, to run that extra mile as our troops in the military do for us every single day.
Carry on my wayward son,
There’ll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don’t you cry no more
Masquerading as a man with a reason
My charade is the event of the season
And if I claim to be a wise man,
Well, it surely means that I don’t know