Countdown

Original copyrighted image can be found here.

11 weeks until my Spring marathon . I am excited, but subdued. This is the first marathon of the year for me, and I'll be trying yet again to better my finishing time. Last year- at the same race, no less- I managed a new PR by a good 8 minutes. This year, I'm hoping to shave off even more time.

So, right now I should be running about 10-12 miles. But its cold outside (16 degrees!), and most of yesterday's snowfall has yet to be cleared from sidewalks and streets. Plus, I've got to throw together my running club's newsletter.

More importantly, I need to prepare for tonight's Oscar ceremony. Oh, who am I kidding?! We all know that I really care about the clothes and not the movies. *giggle*

So many of life's events are preceded by a countdown, an artificial building up of importance of the event, a forced celebration built on the supposition that everyone around you simply must share your excitement, your anticipation, your anxiety, your joy. But by assuming these emotions to be shared, we often forget to focus on the intimacy of the moment, of the special bond created by the simple act of being a part of the event.

You know the phrase "You had to be there" ? Well, so many of our personal countdown moments are location-specific: you have to be there. Otherwise you're left trying to explain the unexplainable: what made something so special and unforgettable for you.

*sigh*

I guess the theme of this post is prudence. It is something that takes time to learn well, I think, and so I'll leave you with that challenge for today: exercise prudence.