Running A Powerful Metaphor For Living
As we left number 11 Stefanos place to run today I looked across to the hills of Albania and saw snow on the mountain tops…!
Here the skies were bright and blue, a spring like air in Barbati today, the rain and cold that has been blowing about and circling the island has vanished, there is no trace of it to be seen; when we returned from running, I sat in the sun on the terrace to work, and it was as if I had been transported once more to a new land…
As a runner, I long ago learnt to not look at weather forecasts!
I knew that I would run whatever the weather; especially in the ‘early days’ of my running career, where I never 'ran indoors'.
As the years went by I discovered I could maintain better quality interval training if I ran on a 'running machine' inside when weather outside was windy, wet and snowy… and so the treadmill became my friend… My own spiritual practice has been to respond to what is in front of me by endevouring to remain in a still space; whether that be weather – or illness or injury or any adversity or joy - and to ultimately recognize that everything comes from within; I learnt very young that how I see things, my perspective, changes my life for better or for worse…
My mother was a powerful teacher of this; she taught me by example. Her femur broke suddenly under her when she was getting ready for bed one night, she was only 48 years old… This ultimately lead to full amputation of the right leg.
She was more than courageous in the face of adversity; she did not appear to even approach it as if it were adversity.
One of her favourite stories she liked to laughingly tell, was about the day she was by the seaside on her crutches. She noticed a little boy at her feet, he was crouching right down so that he could look up her skirt; confused as he could only see one leg!
I thank my mother both for her courage and how she lived with such joy and laughter whatever was going on…
My learning how to be still and to accept that whatever is in front of me is my responsibility, has been a lifetimes process, and is an ongoing journey.
Practicing with the weather or delayed planes and trains is a very good place to start!
We are always responsible for our response… I remember a winter a few years ago; my friend Fiona and I met each morning at The Lamb pub - at 7am or earlier - we were training for a marathon; this meant A LOT of running and one stretch of ‘inclement’ weather meant that we ran everyday for 2 – 3 hours, eleven days in a row in pouring rain… But we never stopped laughing; we never ‘didn’t show’, and we had a lot of fun.
As runners training for a marathon in the UK this is very normal – lots of mileage in all sorts weather; but the key is to embrace what is; this planet in all its magnificence, embrace the human journey, alive, experiencing…
Why would we ever complain about being alive; if there is a complaint it will be within our power to investigate it and clear it
Running is a powerful metaphor for living and if we can stay in the running step and stay positive; become a master of the moment; then taking this into our lives so that we are a master of our lives becomes a powerful daily practice.
And so Anadi and I ran side by side again today; both appreciating my return to daily running. The rhythm of the run, the space, the silence, the being together but each alone.
As we ran up the hill a little white car hooted, and the man inside waved – it was our friend who owns Barbati supermarket!
In September he had a little Alsatian puppy dog; he was in the process of training him. The little dog had already learnt to sit and was eager to respond to his master.
Anadi and I had spent a lot of time on each super market visit, stroking the fluffy bundle of waggy tailed energy. The man stopped his little white car by the roadside, and Anadi I crossed over to say ‘hello', shake his hand and exchange delight at meeting again...
As we approached him, we saw that most of the little white car was filled with a now very big waggy tailed Alsatian!
