The Road To Who Knows Where...
Today is a cloudy cooler day…
As I stepped out into its misty embrace, it reminded me in texture and smell of an early summers morning in an England bursting with verdant, lush, pregnant, possibility…
I followed the winding road from Stefanos Place, to the rocky path that took me down to the sea, and I ran along a deserted Barbati beach, scrunch scrunch scrunch. I felt light and relaxed, and running along the stones and pebbles, and around my sandy rocky circuit twice, was a relaxing run… 9k which I plan to repeat very soon, once I have written some more to you ‘O Best Beloved’…!
I was brought up on the Rudyard Kipling ‘Just so stories’, and as I child I remember vividly his engaging with us, ‘O Best Beloved’… I liked being his best beloved. I felt connected to the story teller, and as if I were there, in the scenes he described, like the Limpopo river…
‘Then Kolokolo Bird said, with a mournful cry, 'Go to the banks of the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River, all set about with fever-trees, and find out.'
And now that I write offering, sharing, being alongside you who read me, then ‘O Best Beloved’ feels a fitting acknowledgement of your energy and engagement as I ‘Go running…’ and we ‘find out’ together what happens next!
Anadi has a very sore blister - still giving him some trouble – from our race down the mountain last week to get back in time for my ‘Facetime’ session, and so he was happy to leave me to it…
I like running alone occasionally, my spirit floats as my body runs along; this is what it feels like when I am fitter, like I am now, and I can run without effort… My being is free to fly… it is like my spirit body is running along, and the more dense earthly body feels light too.
I was reminded of a song by ‘The Waterboys’. which I went through a phase of playing at full volume whilst I was driving, and on repeat… its only about 90 seconds long!
Man gets tired
Spirit don't
Man surrenders
Spirit won't
Man crawls
Spirit flies
Spirit lives
When man dies
Man seems
Spirit is
Man dreams
The spirit lives
Man is tethered
Spirit free
What spirit
Is man can be…’
‘What spirit Is, the man can be’ always inspired me… it reminded me to keep clearing the stuff that tethers me and holds me back, to keep noticing every single frustration or limiting thought or reactive feeling within me…
As I ran along I felt I could run forever.
Lightly running on the pebbles that were scrunching… Running along an empty beach, which in about a month - maybe less - will be full of people lying down bathing in the suns rays… Meanwhile I run alone and free, the beach all mine.
Later…
I am just back from run number two… I didn’t feel like going much; there was a reluctance to leave my writing, the companionable silence as Anadi and I work at the same table, the beckoning of a cup of coffee rather than a run…
But I am used to this feeling. It is familiar for every runner; ‘getting out of the front door’ is often the hardest part, and I have learnt (unless really tired) to just go…
As I got to the bottom of the steps I was greeted enthusiastically by ‘Dog from who knows where’ – I haven’t fed her a thing, and I even try and ignore her, for this very reason… She trotted down the steps with me, down the drive by my side, and out onto the road with me, delighted at last to be included on a run….
It was all very well being joined by ‘Dog from petrol station’, whilst on the road, but to actually take ‘Dog from who knows where’, out with me onto the winding road where the cars zoom along didn’t feel good….
So I took her back, and asked Anadi to distract her… I nearly went back up those steps for that cup of coffee!
But I have discovered that jogging along allows for relaxation and for spirit runner to remind earthly runner what its all about.
The sound of the sea, the movement, the unfolding of the miles… Trusting my energy to take me where it will…
The running step to lead me along the road to who knows where…!