Quote of the Day: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.” Martin Luther King Jr.
Today, Cokie, Sue and I ran close to 4 miles through Holladay. We passed the most amazing hibiscus plants with ginormous pink blossoms. I thought I was back in DC for a minute. Now I feel the challenge to grow one in my yard, which really is my botanical garden. I put all this work into the flowers, weeding endless hours all at the expense of my dominant right arm, the very arm that has lymph drainage issues and is the key to my tennis game, but I don’t spend any time really sitting there enjoying the beauty. It’s off kilter, like a lot of things in my life- I spend all this time on something I don’t fully utilize or enjoy. But back to running, I really haven’t run much since the Ogden Marathon and the St. George Marathon, my 10th, is looming around the corner. I think the whole Ogden marathon experience, although I am proud I was able to do it, left me feeling frustrated that my foot may not be good for too many more races of that length and furthermore will be torturous while doing. I guess I’m mad that it hurts to run. I so long for the days when running had the possibility of feeling really good, when I could zoom by men at mile 23 and feel pretty darn good about myself. Now, I’m just looking for the next walk stop. Like all things in life, I could be doing more though, like actually getting out there and running and of course, dropping a few pounds!
This past week, I had the opportunity to spend time with some of my favorite people and do some awesome site-seeing in Washington D.C. Joe has been working back there for the past three weeks and Mike and Elle are back there working and doing an internship with a congresman from Utah, respectively. The whole experience gave me such an appreciation for my citizenship in the United States of America. We have so many more rights than most the rest of the world and we have this great foundation of freedom that our country was founded on. We take a lot for granted too but I loved being reminded of all the great people that have worked, sacrificed, slaved and died for my behalf. When you see all these statues, buildings, memorials that are part of our history, you can’t help but feel at the same time grateful and responsible for living a good life. We toured Monticello and Mount Vernon, the National Cathedral, took an awesome tour of the Capital lead by Elle, saw the National Gallery of Art and the Newseum, strolled by and spent time admiring the memorials including Jefferson, Lincoln, many War Veteran memorials and others. But top of my list were the Martin Luther King Jr. and Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorials. They were inspiring. Joe and I had some fun discovering walking/running paths through the city especially near Dumbarton Oaks. I especially loved spending time with Mike on the last day of my trip. Joe had to head back to work and so Mike took me around to the city and Newseum. He and Elle love living in the city and Elle plans to go to law school next year somewhere on the East coast. This really is such an new phase of life to see my children growing up!
Thoughts and fears of 2011 still linger in my mind but this year, 2012, has taken me to such great places around the globe. I love living and feel grateful for a healthy mind and body. I heard someone say on NPR something like “Death only has to win once, life has to win every day.” I have pondered that over and over in my mind, trying to understand what it means but in regards to the last part, life really does have to win every day and it has to be active on our part. It requires us to do more than just go about our business, we really have to go about our business with purpose. I’m always trying to figure out what my “true” purpose is in this life but I do know this, if we squander life, we will regret it.
Elle, Mike, Joanie at Jefferson’s Monticello
Joe, Joanie and Mike at Jefferson Memorial
Mike and Elle at Capital, near Brigham Young Statue
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