FINDING MY CENTER
TOP 3 T-SHIRT SLOGANS ABOUT RUNNING:
3. I run because punching people is not acceptable.
2. I like running because I really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, like food.
1. You think I’m crazy because I run. You would really see crazy if I didn’t run.
I took a small break from running for almost a month in order to give my feet a much needed chance to heal. It has been great for my feet, but it has not been good for my mental health. The longer I go without running, the fatter I think I am and the more out of control the world feels. I know I am a little crazy, and I know that running helps me to pull it together.
A few weeks ago, I went to the gym and stepped on the treadmill. As my legs found their rhythm, I felt a sense of absolute right. This sensation reminded me how much I needed to return running to my routine. I was made to run. This simple and uncomplicated exertion is my therapy.
When I run, my world comes back to center. There is something soothing and healing about the uncomplicated task of one foot in front of the other. Sometimes I lose myself to the rhythm in my ears; sometimes I take in the scenery and breath deeply; sometimes I exchange stories with a friend; and sometimes I think and pray. The result is always the same: sanity returns.
I think there is a little bit of crazy in us all. We just need to find the thing that brings us back to center. Some people knit, drink coffee, sing, dance, bike, walk, or bake. I run to my center.