Choices are important

One spring morning, while on a run, I noticed a large caterpillar crossing the road.  I was running on the left side of the street, and it was crossing from right to left.  How brave of that caterpillar to have left the safety of his grass and leaves and flowers to trudge across the barren, hot wasteland of the black topped road.  It didn't get run over, or stepped on, and knew where it was heading. (I'm sure his instinct told him exactly where to go...and why)  I thought for a split second about picking him up and "helping' him finish this part of his journey.  Then flashed through my mind the images of stories I've heard how it is actually detrimental to the strength and survival of the creature trying to get where it needs to be, to "help them."  The simple act of me picking up the caterpillar and removing him from his course and then placing him on a new section of a path would have been disorienting to this creature, at best.

 I thought for a second, as I was trudging along, how I would feel if someone came and plucked me up, in mid stride, and placed me on another part of the road further ahead.  Would I feel helped? No! I would have felt gipped out of the effort that I was putting in.  I would have felt a little put out that someone thought they knew better than I about what I could handle.  Just because, to you, I may have looked like I was struggling to get my breath or fighting for every step, doesn't mean that I was not capable of getting myself down the road, thank-you very much!

Awhile later, nearing the end of my run, I saw a man mowing his lawn using a riding mower. "Wouldn't it be fun" I thought, "if I could jump on and ride a little ways with him on that mower?"  Not because I couldn't finish my run, I just thought a ride on that tractor seemed like fun.

I instantly flashed back to that caterpillar.  What was the difference between someone else picking me up and putting me on a different place on the road an me riding on the mower? Both would have relieved me of some effort. One was MY CHOICE.  The other, was not.

How important are the choices that we make?  Is my instinct telling me where to go...and why? Am I following that natural instinct or allowing others to direct my path and influence my choices? I will continue to ponder these questions for a long time.

I learned this on accident, because I thought about that caterpillar on purpose.

A little PSA

Today's post is truly from the heart, and without a lot of forethought. It's a lesson I learned on accident, not particularly happy, not one that I wanted, nor do I want to continue to have in my life; I'm afraid of dogs.  Specifically, dogs not on leashes, away from their homes.
A year ago, while running, I was on a very rural road.  While running IN THE STREET but in front of homes, three little, yappy dogs came toward me.  I ran. They chased me and one of them grabbed my left calf and bit me. It was a decent bite and while I was not punctured by the teeth, skin was broken and deep bruising occurred.  What I didn't expect was that this lingering fear would still be with me.  When a dog is out in their yard, they have every right to bark at me.  I will not enter your space, but that dog better not enter mine.  On several occasions since then I have been chased by loose dogs.  This sends my heart rate into levels so high, its like it's trying to reach to sun!
It's happend twice in my new neighborhood.  These chases were done by dogs, not on leashes, but with their owner.  I'm going to shout so you'll hear me. "YOU MAY THINK YOUR DOG WON'T BITE, BUT I DON'T!"
I don't want to be afraid of your dog.  I really don't.  We even had a "great dog experiment" and owned a dog for four years. However, it seems that, sometimes, dog owners/lovers care more about the freedom and happiness of their dog than the safety of others.  Most dogs are not biters. But from owning a very active black lab, I know that the great game of most dogs is to chase people. It is so fun for them! But, for an innocent person who is running for fitness, or a child riding their bike or walking/playing on the sidewalk, suddenly being chased by a dog is not fun at all.
So, consider this a little PSA: Keep your dog on a leash.  It'll save everyone a little heartache. Your dog won't run to chase me, "accidentally" bite me or someone else, and I won't call animal control on you.

By the way, I did call animal control on the dogs who bit me last year.  They were not up to date on their vaccinations and had to be quarantined for three days.  The dogs were also repeat offenders.  I will feel bad for you if your dog gets taken away, or if you have to pay hundreds of dollars in fines, but I will feel devastated if any HUMAN gets hurt because your dog was not restrained.

Maybe this will be something you can learn on purpose because I was bitten by a dog on accident.

Running into the wind

On a late winter day in February, I went for my morning run. It was a bit dreary; clouds everywhere and the wind was blowing.  I grew up in Utah and there we had an east wind that would blow so strongly. But it always came from the same direction...the east.  I've heard runners tell tales about having the wind at your back to sort of push you along and make your effort easier.  In the South it seems that when the wind blows, it comes from all directions.  So I may be running into the wind and then I turn a corner and I'm still running into the wind.  I may change directions again and, still, into the wind! Thanks, South!  Well, on this blustery day, I wanted to give up.  The wind was blowing any and every way it wanted and I was cold! However, I'm consistent in the fact that when I set out to complete a run, I give it my best.  Even if it's 45 minutes in the cold wind, I will finish!
I don't know exactly when, but maybe 35 minutes into the workout the wind finally took a break and the sun came out.  I felt my attitude change and I suddenly felt like I could run forever! I'm sure the actual air temperature didn't change much but my attitude and perspective surely did.  I realized: when we are experiencing trials, problems and challenges in our life, we tend to feel like the cold wind is blowing and we want to quit. But when the "sun shines" and we are given a break from the extra burdens for awhile, we feel as if we could go on forever.

Many years ago I was boarding an airplane on a rainy, dreary day.  As the plane took off and went higher in altitude we broke through the clouds and darkness and it was a glorious, bright sunny day.  I learned then that it is always a beautiful day somewhere, so I may as well enjoy it, where ever I am.
Problems come, trials exist, stuff happens! If we view these experience through the lens of a sunny day we can endure much, much longer.

I learned this on accident, because I ran in cold wind on purpose.

Inspiration and the amazing box of awesomeness

Inspiration--

1-Supply the inspiration for, fill with revolutionary ideas.

2-Product of creativity and work. A sudden intuition

What inspires you? A piece of artwork? A beautiful song? Nature? Another person? Have you ever thought, and realized, that YOU inspire others?

My daughter is dyslexic and works weekly with a tutor.  One of the tools they use is a spell checker; or, as my daughter calls it, "the amazing box of awesomeness." This device allows my daughter to input letters and insert a question mark when she isn't 100% sure of the spelling.  The device then gives my daughter the correct spelling of the word.  It's pure awesomeness for her.  My daughter told this to her tutor who LOVED it and now refers to the spell checker as "the amazing box of awesomeness" to encourage other kids who struggle with using the spell checker.

I am a runner.  I've been inspired by others which encouraged me to work hard.  I never thought that what I am doing would be a source of inspiration to other people.  During half marathon training, as I would post pics or experiences I had while running, people would tell me that I inspired them to start exercising.  Me?!

In whatever it is you do, people are watching and paying attention. When you do what you do with joy, enthusiasm and positivity, (like the amazing box of awesomeness) you will inspire someone else, and they will improve and inspire someone.  It's part of the fantastic circle of life. 

What does your amazing box of awesomeness look like?

Uplifting, spiritual thoughts

Twice a year, in April and October, I am uplifted and fed spiritually by leaders from my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  I love these weekends because I am gifted so much enlightenment, such as:

"Families are the best way to teach and pass on moral virtues."
"The best technology cannot be a substitute for revelation."
"Knowledge does not reduce pain."
"Repentance is not a punishment, it is a PRIVILEGE!"
"The happiness of our spouse is more important than our own pleasures."
"Children are great imitators.  Give them something great to imitate."
"Fear rarely has the power to change our hearts."
"God will always bless us for our loyalty, but rarely shows us his timetable."
"Those that are the hardest to love need love the most."

I learned these nuggets, and many more, on accident. Because I listened to General Conference on purpose.

*If you would like to watch any or all of the messages, you may do so by clicking here.

Heart full of friends

moving stinks. Really, it is not the most fun I've ever had. The effort to pack and clean is just, well, exhausting. Then there is the emotional roller coaster--happy for new adventures, sad to leave friends, excited for the new house, crying because you listened to that song that reminds you of where you've been living.
People don't like saying "goodbye". It feels final, as if you will never see the person again. We say "good bye" when we hang up the phone. Why is it so much harder when we move? No idea.

While all of this moving and change can be hard physically, emotionally and sentimentally, it helps me to see how blessed I am in my life. I have lived in beautiful places. I have met many wonderful people. The thing that I do love about moving is that it means I get to collect more friends. I love bringing people into my circle, and I love been pulled into theirs. I adore crossing paths with someone in this life, even if our paths have only crossed for a few months. Knowing these people makes my life richer and happier. And my heart is full!

There is  a saying that goes something like, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."  My kids and I recently completed an over 2,000 mile drive across this country. We attended our new congregation on Sunday and I realized that these are new people that will be brought into my circle and I will be brought into theirs. My life's path will begin new crossroads and a new chapter is being written. And my heart is full!

Moving may not be the most fun because of the work involved, but it is the best way to fill your heart full of friends.

I learned this on accident, because I chose to have a positive attitude about moving, on purpose.

Running is my therapy

Changes in life can bring a lot of stress.  They also can be a time of reflection. Our family is undergoing changes which are bringing a bit of both.

My husband took a new job in a new state and that has left me and three kids to sell a house and prepare to move over 2,000 miles away.  That can be stressful.  We've lived in our current home and area only 18 months; pretty short on the home-owner scale. During those 18 months we've had a love/hate relationship with the home and area. We didn't want to leave our previous home of nine years, the home we have been living in was configured so differently, it took months to adjust. It took longer than we would have liked to make friends and build relationships here.

Have I mentioned that change does not come easily to me? When I felt that this move was going to happen, my first instinct was to reject it and "brace for impact." I talked to a dear friend who told me that I could choose to embrace change. If the change is going to happen, then I can choose how I respond to it.

Some people don't like to listen to music when they run. They say they like the time to think and have their head clear.  Me? I do my deeper thinking and pondering when I'm listening to good music.  The words pouring directly into my head seem to have more meaning.  A song I can sing the words to, without thinking, suddenly takes on a new message when I am concentrating on those words and the story behind it.  Usually during a run I do not listen to music or anything. However, when I'm going to be gone longer than an hour, the earbuds go in and the music goes on.  My music of choice is a mixture of 80's, country and Christian. Ecclectic!

On this particular run I was thinking about the upcoming move and reflecting on the experiences we've had here.  We had lived here about a year when my husband and I felt that change was in the air and it was time to look for a new job move closer to family. It wasn't long after that decision was made that I started to really fall in love with where I live; the house, the neighborhood, the people, everything. About 45 minutes into the run, I hear the words, "It must have been love. But it's all over now." Tears. "It must have been good, but I lost it somehow." Sobbing. I wondered if I had wasted 12 months of living here by not loving it sooner. Then I realized that I had grown to love something and I know we are always better off for loving...even if it takes longer than expected.

Two songs later, Garth Brooks begins crooning to me. "I'll never reach my destination, if I never try..." "Don't you sit upon the shoreline and say you're satisfied but choose to chance the rapids and dare to dance the tide...There's bound to be rough waters and I know I'll take some falls. With the good Lord as my captain I can make it through them all."  Now I was REALLY crying. I thought about how my husband and I really have embraced this move.  We chose what job we wanted, we chose where we wanted to move to. We were dreamers!

The final 10 minutes of my run I stopped the music and took out the ear buds. I listened to the birds singing.  I noticed the leaves starting to bud on the trees and I avoided puddles left from the recent rain. I reflected on how much I have loved where I live, and how grateful I was to have spent 75 minutes saying "goodbye" to this neighborhood and part of the country that has been my home.

Running was therapy for me on this day, and running with music was inspirational and healing to my soul.  I learned this on accident, because I listened to music on purpose.