A Runner’s Thoughts: “A [person] can fail many times, but he [or she] isn’t a failure until he [or she] begins to blame somebody else.” (John Burroughs)
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A Runner’s Thoughts: Running, walking or moving through life another way is about the physical, the mental and the emotional sides of our lives. It challenges us in physical, mental and emotional ways. Will our bodies respond, will they hold up, will they get us back home or to the finish line? Will our minds let us move beyond the pain and the struggle? Can we overcome the fear? Will we give in to what seems easier? Yes, running, walking or moving through life another way is about the physical, the mental and the emotional sides of our lives, however they are also about the spiritual. It is about breathing in the breath of God, the Holy Spirit. Running, walk or moving through life another way is about giving life to the gift of who God has created us to be!
A Runner’s Thoughts: “I don’t run to add days to my life, I run to add life to my days.” (Ronald Rook) So to if we walk or move through life another way…
A Runner’s Thoughts: Remember running, walking or moving through life another way is not just conquering, hills, distance, weight, injury, illness or pain. Running, walking or moving through life another way is most often conquering ourselves. We can try to do it alone, but it is so much easier when we let others journey with us and we are always at our best when we run, walk or move through life another way with God!
A Runner’s Thoughts: If we chose to be a spiritual runner, walker or mover through life another way we can learn three things about ourselves. We can learn how to keep moving forward through whatever life throws at us. We can learn who we truly are, our best self. We can learn that we are never alone and always love because we have God running, walking, moving with us!
A Runner’s Thoughts: Remember running, walking or moving through life another way can be a sacred act, sacred time. Sacred is a Latin word sacraficium, meaning to cut up, or sacrifice. If we want our run, walk or movement through life another way to be spiritual we need to sacrifice time, energy and comfort. It requires that we face life head on, live wholly in the present, taking on joy and suffering, savoring each emotion, every experience while offering it all to God. (Adapted from Roger Joslin)
A Runner’s Thoughts: “There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” (C.S. Lewis) So to in the spiritual life…
A Runner’s Thoughts: “There is a lesson to be learned from running in various emotional states, just as there are lessons to learn from running in a wide range of environmental settings. Don’t shy away from running in an unaccustomed state of mind or an unusual situation. Opportunity for enlightenment often waits in the unfamiliar.” (Roger Joslin) So too if we walk or move through life another way…
And another thought, “Run often. Run long. But never outrun your joy of running.” (Julie Isphording) A Runner’s Thoughts: To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift. (Steve Prefontaine)
A Runner’s Thoughts: “As I get older I see that running has changed for me. What used to be about burning calories is now more about burning up what is false.” (Kristin Armstrong) This is true whether we run, walk or move through life another way…
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Fr. Paul R. Fagan, C.P. "Preacher on the Run!"A thought from time to time about Running and Life! Archives
May 2023
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