When I arrived at the park, I was happy to see the azalea in bloom. This plant is making the most of it, I thought.
Though more subdued, the rest of the park was glowing in the morning sun.
The weather this week has been perfect for running: fifty degrees in the morning, low humidity, and sunny. Shorts and a long-sleeve shirt. What could be better?
Every morning I go out and feel reborn.
It helps that, for the first time in recent memory, I’m running without pain or injury. I’ve moved out of ‘slogging through it’ and can once again run at a decent pace for more than a few miles. It’s a nice feeling.
I sometimes think about last winter and how, as I contemplated my twisted ankle (and a litany of other injuries that preceded it), I wasn’t sure I would ever make it back. But I ‘had faith in the process’ and here I am, at least for now.
I’m grateful to have gone through these trials. If I hadn’t been injured, I might have taken my health for granted, and running through the morning light might not feel quite so amazing.
It’s more than running, however. If I’ve learned anything over the past few years, it’s that injuries and ailments are not always physical.
And that starting a new phase of life free of pain — and free of those who caused it, which may not only include others but also an earlier version of myself — offers a similar kind of appreciation and relief that makes the present feel something close to miraculous.
