Moving gets you to places. Whether it’s a bike, a car or your own two feet, you can find yourself traveling to a variety of different destinations. My favorite mode of transportation is of course running.
My child loves to run. She runs away from me at the park to chase a dog or to steal another child’s toy (we are working on this). She runs away when she gets into trouble or makes messes. There’s a destination in mind for her. Whether it’s to chase the dog or grab a toy, she has it in her mind and she’s determined to reach it. Other times there’s no destination in mind, she just goes.
Whenever at the park you’ll find kids running. Some with destinations in mind and others running just because they want to run. They don’t care if they have a point A to get to, they’ll just run and keep on running.
When you’re first beginning to run you have a final stopping point: your home or some other point, like the car, or the next block or the tree a few blocks ahead. You set a goal and you know how far you want to go. As you run more, you are able to go farther so the destination changes from 1/2 mile from home to 1 mile from home.
I always thought that in running you have to have a destination, a point to run to. I would have my loops marked on my calendar and would know where I was going to for that particular run on that particular day. Always having to have a plan. Thinking if I didn’t I was doing something wrong. I thought you had to go further and further. Had to run more than so and so.
Over the years I have figured out that sometimes having no final destination is fun. Not having to always stick to a plan. Having a child has helped me with this. Life doesn’t go as planned. R is a perfect example of this. She wasn’t planned, but yet it was the best unplanned destination we made.
Running doesn’t care where you are going and what path you chose to get there. It doesn’t care how far the destination is from the starting point and how long it takes you to get there. Running only cares that you follow YOUR journey and YOUR heart. It’s your destination not someone else’s.
Running teaches us that no matter the distance, we are still runners. It doesn’t matter what loop you chose this morning and will choose tomorrow, you’re still a runner. It doesn’t matter how far your feet took you compared to how far you’re Facebook friend went.
I’ve learned that the destination of running is your own. There’s no need to compare to others and to try to strive to be better than others. Running is a lot like life. No matter your destination in life, don’t compare your path to anyone else. Your path is what works for you and it doesn’t make it any less victorious. Your no less of a person because your house is smaller, your car older, your shoes more worn. It doesn’t make you any better if you are worth 6 figures and own a Mercedes. If you have 3 kids and 2 dogs or if you have 6 kids and 4 dogs.
I began to realize again that children can be great learning tools. They pick a destination and with determination they get there. They don’t care what they look like getting there, how many times they fall in the process and how long it takes, they just go. And other times they have no clear destination in mind, but yet they keep moving, smiles and all.
Sometimes I wish we could be like young children, the age where appearances, speed, money, houses, hair, and education doesn’t matter. They set goals and go, not caring who’s watching and who’s coming with them. In life and in running, I have a final destination in mind, but too many times I fail to get there not because I can’t, but because I think I can’t. I care what others think maybe a little too much. But’s it’s my journey and my destination and no matter what, I AM getting there.
Until Next Time Be Whole and Be Fit
Where’s your destination in life? Ever felt you weren’t running fast enough toward it or not good enough to get there?
What a powerful piece Bry! I will be thinking about this as I head out on my run this morning. I do have an idea of what my destination is, but just like in running that can all blow up in a moments notice. I find having goals is what keeps me running, but being too ridged makes me depressed, so I try and find a balance between the two. Having too high of an expectation on what my outcome is, is not good– sometimes you just need to allow things to unfold in a natural way. Beautiful post!
Thank you Lisa!! I agree it seems with everything in life we need balance!!
“I AM getting there”, powerful words. The Great I AM has woven in our DNA all we need to accomplish our destiny. He is my goal every day to seek, surrender and fulfill success. “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you”. Our strength to run the race to win is found in the power of His love. May we all choose to love Him, then ourselves, so we can share that love with others and see them run their race to win!
Thank you Lilly, this is true. Wanting to do it all for Him seems to make finding the destination easier but the process harder.
What a powerful piece. You have a gift for words. You are truly an instrument for God’s kingdom by these very posts that you continue to write. I hear the holy spirit in every word that you write. Don’t stop writing, you may not know it, but a seed is planted by every post you write with God’s kingdom work at mind. Proud of you… Never back down..
Thank you. I appreciate these kind words