~nut*meg~
My Love
Nigel and I ran 10.5 miles yesterday. I thought about it and I feel it is a metaphor for my marriage, for my kids and for friendship. We started out great as usual and before our first mile, he had me laughing so hard, I could barely breathe. When it started to get hard (shortly after our first mile~ha ha) Nigel encouraged me and cheered me on. We talked photography, we talked flickr, we just talked and talked and talked. Oh, and we saw photos our whole run (mental ones, of course). I just felt so lucky to be running with him! It was hot (sorry all you peeps who are in the snow), we had some hills and I had some problems that I will not mention here (just think friction), all in the course of the first couple of miles. I was NOT happy. It got really really hard. We stopped talking for awhile, content to allow each other to get in their zone. I wanted to stop. I wanted to quit. I was discouraged because I thought I would be more ready....and be able to handle this better. Pretty soon, we were halfway and heading into no man's land (on our route, it is this really long-ass stretch that is just horrible). it is a slow uphill for at least 2 1/2 miles...ugh. We would set goals and then walk a bit...set goals and then walk a bit. Nigel stayed with me the whole time though I am slower than him. He kept cheering me on despite me saying the "F" word every few steps. Again, I had the thought...Gosh, I am lucky to have him and lucky he is with me. He makes it so much easier. Well, you get the picture, this went on for some time and I don't want to torture you with it but suffice to say, it was a really really hard run. We came around to the golf course and for us, it is familiar territory. Three miles to go...I start to feel hopeful though my body is shutting (I actually typed shitting~ha) down. We walk more than we want to at this point but both of us are feeling the heat (it was frickin' hot!) I really don't know how we managed but we did, cheering each other on...
Finally, we see the home stretch, the corner near our home. All we have to do is go up and around that corner and we are truly in the home stretch...but before that, it is a nice slow cussing incline. I really just felt my last ounce of anything just melt away. At this point, grandmothers walking are going faster than I am up that damn incline. And then, all of a sudden, in my misery, I felt Nigel grab my hand. And there we are, running that last stretch hand in sweaty hand. We didn't say much, except we are gonna make it, we are gonna make it...almost there....I can't tell you what that felt like...it was miraculous. I knew I could go on. I knew I was gonna make it because he was there, by my side, holding my hand. In fact, a woman riding a horse commented on us holding hands because I am sure it looked quite weird...and unusual...and loving.
And guess what? We did. We finished, running in strong. (I was never more happy to not be running.)
I hope I can be like that for each person I come across. And my husband and children. And my extended family. And my church. And the world.
My Love
Nigel and I ran 10.5 miles yesterday. I thought about it and I feel it is a metaphor for my marriage, for my kids and for friendship. We started out great as usual and before our first mile, he had me laughing so hard, I could barely breathe. When it started to get hard (shortly after our first mile~ha ha) Nigel encouraged me and cheered me on. We talked photography, we talked flickr, we just talked and talked and talked. Oh, and we saw photos our whole run (mental ones, of course). I just felt so lucky to be running with him! It was hot (sorry all you peeps who are in the snow), we had some hills and I had some problems that I will not mention here (just think friction), all in the course of the first couple of miles. I was NOT happy. It got really really hard. We stopped talking for awhile, content to allow each other to get in their zone. I wanted to stop. I wanted to quit. I was discouraged because I thought I would be more ready....and be able to handle this better. Pretty soon, we were halfway and heading into no man's land (on our route, it is this really long-ass stretch that is just horrible). it is a slow uphill for at least 2 1/2 miles...ugh. We would set goals and then walk a bit...set goals and then walk a bit. Nigel stayed with me the whole time though I am slower than him. He kept cheering me on despite me saying the "F" word every few steps. Again, I had the thought...Gosh, I am lucky to have him and lucky he is with me. He makes it so much easier. Well, you get the picture, this went on for some time and I don't want to torture you with it but suffice to say, it was a really really hard run. We came around to the golf course and for us, it is familiar territory. Three miles to go...I start to feel hopeful though my body is shutting (I actually typed shitting~ha) down. We walk more than we want to at this point but both of us are feeling the heat (it was frickin' hot!) I really don't know how we managed but we did, cheering each other on...
Finally, we see the home stretch, the corner near our home. All we have to do is go up and around that corner and we are truly in the home stretch...but before that, it is a nice slow cussing incline. I really just felt my last ounce of anything just melt away. At this point, grandmothers walking are going faster than I am up that damn incline. And then, all of a sudden, in my misery, I felt Nigel grab my hand. And there we are, running that last stretch hand in sweaty hand. We didn't say much, except we are gonna make it, we are gonna make it...almost there....I can't tell you what that felt like...it was miraculous. I knew I could go on. I knew I was gonna make it because he was there, by my side, holding my hand. In fact, a woman riding a horse commented on us holding hands because I am sure it looked quite weird...and unusual...and loving.
And guess what? We did. We finished, running in strong. (I was never more happy to not be running.)
I hope I can be like that for each person I come across. And my husband and children. And my extended family. And my church. And the world.