Something had to give!

One week ago today, I was able to squeeze in a great run after getting some bad news in regards to a piece of equipment that I’m responsible for, to the company that employs me.  That run calmed me down and I was then able to get my mind wrapped around what should be important in my life; not what I’ve been showing everyone around me lately that which I think is important in my life.

Three short hours later I was enjoying my son’s season ending party for his soccer team, and ended up hurting my knee badly while playing soccer with his team.

I hate to think how I would have handled that injury if I had not run just a few short hours earlier.

Before my run that day, all the stress that I was putting on myself, was being taken out on people around me; mainly my kids.  That run, put me in a different place.  A place that caused me to sit with my kids in the living room after the run and talk to them about the way I had been acting.  Our boy – without provocation – said that he forgave me, followed by our youngest girl.

Him forgiving me so quickly after the way I was acting earlier in the day, is something that will be with me forever, and probably something that needs another 4-5 blog posts to delve into.  I hope in life, he continues to see that a well placed, “It’s OK” accomplishes much more in his life and in the life of others, than years and years of pent up anger, aggression and accusations.

That night, while I was laying in bed talking with my wife, I had a sense of calmness over me.  Granted, I was a little worried about how messed up my knee was, but with everything else that was happening in life, I felt calm.  Even though I could be facing a long recovery and possible surgery, I felt calm.

Was it the run?  Was it my son’s automatic forgiveness?  Was it the way my family was treating me after the injury?  Was it the way my family treated me after I had that talk with the kids in the living room?  I truly don’t know the exact reason for my calmness.  I can only believe, at this time, that it was in direct response to me having something new to fight.  My Knee!

For some time I have been saying, “something has to give!”  Ever since that knee injury, I have been concentrating on taking care of my knee and spending time with my family.

I suppose, the thing that had to “give” was my knee!

…running through my mind…

Soccer Practice

Cold, Windy and Damp are the best ways to describe this Saturday morning.  So I sit in my vehicle – instead of watching from the metal bleachers - and watch my 7-year-old at soccer practice.  Usually there are other adults to talk with and other sounds to keep my mind occupied, but this morning from the quietness of this vehicle, I let my mind wonder.  I wonder what has happened to those 7 years since this boy of mine was born.  It feels as though only a few months ago he was spitting up and laughing afterwards….only a few months ago he was crawling.

I now see him dribbling the ball, doing his exercises with the other players and kicking the ball more accurately than myself.  I see his motivation to get better at the game.  I see the excitement he has to interact with his friends and teammates.  I don’t know the right word for this….priveledged……blessed…..lucky…..I’m not sure what the word is, but I feel like I have just witnessed something.  If I would not have watched him – with all of myself – this morning, I would have missed more of those 7 years. 

Multi-tasking had been the crux of my daily life for many years now. I can’t explain how great I feel, that I was able – for a short period of time – to put down all the other issues I usually have on my mind and just watch my boy at soccer practice. 

When was the last time you just sat and watched someone you love do something that they love?

Me Running Mates

Sometime during the summer, I told my two oldest kids that they were going for a bicycle ride, alongside me while I ran.  They balked and complained, so I offered that they could take a soccer ball and a football and play at a near by Middle School while I ran around the track once we got there.  For several times this summer they enjoyed riding over with me, enjoyed playing while we were at the track and then enjoyed the ride back home.

I liked having the company while running.  Especially my 8-year-old daughter.  I would put my earphones on, but inevitably she would start talking about something and I’d pull them out.  It got to the point over the summer that I would not put my earphones on while I was running with them.  I got to hear about what was going on at school, what was going on with friends of her’s and what she was thinking about during her last softball game.  The connection that we were building – while she rode and I ran – was an exercise that I began to look forward to.  My 6-year-old boy was just as much a pleasure to hear laugh at a squirrel that ran across his path, or listen to him talk about everything he was going to do when we got to the Middle School.

Over time, I got to watch my kids go from trepidation while crossing little known roads, to stopping looking both ways (most of the time) and then forging on their own down the road we had traveled a dozen times already.  Pretty soon there was not chatter or talk amongst us as we journeyed on to the Middle School.  I missed the time we had to talk with each other very much, however I was beginning to enjoy watching them do their own thing, while I was 10-20-30 feet behind them.  I will not be able to do that in life very often, or for much longer.

As Fall snuck upon us, our travels to the Middle School waned and drew to a close.  Neither one of them wanted to traverse the already conquered subdivision roads in order to play with a couple of balls in an open field.  These mates of mine, that I talked with during my runs were now on to other episodes of their life to subdue and overcome. 

I’m so happy, lucky, blessed, and glad that this is one way I was able to spend my summer.

 

…running through my mind…