runningwithfaith

Looking back to January this year, I have to say I wouldn’t have predicted this even if you had paid me to come up with the most bizarre outcomes for the year. These days, even though I’ve been living in this twilight zone, of sorts, for about seven weeks now. Pinch me! By now I’ve been home six weeks, every day, all day – save for the times I go running or riding, which by the way has saved my life, and no matter the distance, is all home by now surely. They say, staying home saves lives; Is it just me or is that the irony of all ironies? Because in all honesty, had I not been able to run (away), well let’s just say I’m super thankful that I can.

Back to January’s intentions and my decision to do away with goal setting and focus on doing things with intent. LOL. Right! Look how that turned out. This isn’t to say setting intentions aren’t beneficial, only that we could be armed with the very best intentions but there’s no accounting for unforseen circumstances. No matter that we’re set about the path with all the right tools and are in full kick-ass mode. Today it’s Covid-19, but really it could be anything outside of our control and then it’s so long intentions, for then anyway. At the end of the day we have next to no control over external factors, which can affect the outcome of our intentions. So what am I saying? Is it pointless to go about making plans and setting intentions with so much unknown and outside of our control? Absolutely not. When has the future ever been certain? And who on earth can predict outcomes with absolute certainty anyway? We can only do that which we can do, with the right perspective, accepting our God-given, not human-set, limits. And leave the rest to the One Who holds all our tomorrows in His super capable hands. May the odds be ever in our favor.

So, in true roll-with-the-punches, or more likely do-or-die, form; I’ve rebounded with a plethora of fitness endeavors that’s second to my regular fitness schedule only due to the missing gym component. The truth is I’m extremely self-motivated in the area of health and exercise and that’s been to my advantage. Thank goodness too, for I have a hard time thinking how I would manage without the ability to escape into whatever form exercise takes on any given day. Francis Lewis Blvd @Sunset
For the record, I’ve found that running away – both literally and otherwise – is by far the most beneficial, though not always the most enjoyable, method of exercise these days. To my credit, I’ve thrown some variety in there with the the type, distance, and course, while divving up the days to mitigate against routine and boredom. So far, so very good. The important lesson in this season of “solitary confinement”, and I’m learning this as well, is that being open, adaptive, and flexible are valuable assets.

In fact, this running-away technique/exercise method has been going so well that I’ve oft been hit with a sense of “I live here! Who knew!” To be clear, running has always been a way to clear my mind and focus outside myself, more so now where the emphasis is freedom from the confines of this self-imposed prison, which my home have now become. Of course, it’s only a prison because I have to be there, and I’m sure it won’t always be that way but for now there it is. And so running in my neighborhood and in surrounding Queens, New York is apparently a learning experience I don’t mind at all.

St Pascal Baylon Church

Neighborhood Street

I’ve run down neighborhood streets, up main streets, across bridges and county lines, on boulevards, near parkways, in parks and wooded areas, to the airport, by churches, around playgrounds, before sunrise, into sunsets, to the grocery store, the pharmacy, to and from home and everywhere in between. It’s been interesting, satisfying, informing, tiring, purposeful, useful, and mostly pretty, which is really the best part for me after the finish line satisfaction I get each time I’m through. My best runs are those with the loveliest views even if they’re on a mountain top or in a canyon. For me, the view is always worth the run. It really is the simplest things that bring the most joy.

Queens Moonlight