THAT IS ALL
Saturday Aug. 23, 2014
Stay in your lane.
When a sprinter runs down the track, he doesn’t change lanes.
He never strays from his path.
Never thinks of it.
Focused on his path, nothing else.
When distance runners put mile upon mile behind them, they don’t stray off-course, don’t stop, don’t waver from their finish-line goal. Pauses for nourishment allowed, but otherwise relentlessness is key, regardless the distance.
We all know these things. I didn’t invent them just to make my point – but I’ll use them to make my point.
If we want to get somewhere, picking our lane and staying in it – not slowing until we’ve reached our finish line. Only then can we rest.
Quitting?
Not an option.
Going off on other routes, not allowed.
Interfering with others on their path, against the rules.
Leaving footprints worth following requires leaving something of ourselves on what we touch and not looking back, neither sprint or plod, like night, leaving darkness behind, like dew left on leaves . . . there is no half-life to life, no half-measure to happiness.
The end is not near, the end is far, vewwwy vewwwy far.
We must, however, between here and that end – leave it all behind, evacuate every thought in our head and every morsel in our belly, leaving it all far far behind us.
That is all.
Mark Kolke
column written/ published from Calgary
morning walk: 7C/45F, a few clouds, gentle breeze – autumnal chill! Gusta found a few snacks in the deep grass, I found my attention focused on the car lot (I’m getting the itch!) but a full day’s plan has no room for test-drives ..
