“If you can’t fly then run. If you can’t run then walk. If you can’t walk then crawl. But whatever you do keep moving.” ~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Everyone has heard that old saying “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” I don’t know who said it first, but surely it was someone who was struggling with something in life. So I wonder, what is it that really makes us tough? What makes us strong? And when is it ok to not have to be tough? These are the thoughts floating in my head as I round the corner at the 1.5 mile mark in my run. I glance at my watch. 15 minutes and 7 seconds. Not an Olympic qualifying time, but understand that two years ago, running this same stretch of road often took me 20 to 25 minutes. I can see that I’ve gained strength. My form has improved and I no longer need to puff my inhaler before I reach the top of that hill I just climbed.
God has granted me the ability to run and running has helped me to find strength in everyday situations. Running has helped me push myself to succeed, and that push for success has spilled over into other areas of my life. I use that time to reflect, ask questions, make plans… and then pray about those same questions and plans. Without a doubt, my faith makes me strong and it is an important part of my personal journey.
Along the next stretch of road I begin thinking about where I’ve been, where I am, where I want to be, and how to get there. Some people say that the tough times in our lives are often what make us stronger. I agree and I remember the time I was in a wheelchair for four months following a car accident in 2001. Although I didn’t know it at the time, God was working in my life to change me and make me stronger. If someone had told me then that I would be where I am today, doing the things I do, I would have assured them they had my future confused with someone else’s.
My mind drifts further as I think about the last half-marathon I ran a few months ago. I spent the summer training for it and I finished the race; but, not without mistakes and upsets which included a fall that messed up my shoulder and ankle. Finishing that race was tough, especially after my fall. I was mad, aggravated, and I wanted to cry. In fact, I did cry for a moment. And then I remembered why I was there. I was there to RUN, not walk, not cry, and certainly not to pout. I remember touching my necklace and reciting the verse inscribed on the back: Philippians 4:13. “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” And so, with God’s grace, I continued running and finished the race strong.
I was reminded of some things during that race that will help me be stronger in life. No matter how hard we train or prepare for life, there is no teacher as great as the real thing we call experience. Nothing other than the real thing could have prepared me for Maryland’s hills of Antietam Battlefield that I encountered in that course. In life, there will be bumps and bruises… or twisted ankles and sore shoulders. The trick is not simply getting up after the fall, it’s the attitude we have once we are back on our feet. We have to keep putting one foot in front of the other and eventually we cross the finish line. We should never plow over someone else in an effort to get there, yet I have found that finish line to be much sweeter when I smile along the way. The lessons learned during the tough times in life do make us stronger and our attitude is a reflection of our character. Personally, I find great comfort in knowing that even in the tough times, I am not alone. I have a God who has blessed me with His comfort and surrounded me with a wonderful support system of family and friends.
And now, as I finish my run and my meandering contemplations about the struggles of life and what makes us strong, I know that I am not here to walk, nor pout, nor cry. I am here to RUN. I am here to do all I can in the time I have, however long (or short) it may be. In today’s fast-paced world, we’re all running the race of life. So, double-knot your sneakers and enjoy the run.
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