Unexpected Treasures

Earlier this week, I laced up my running shoes, pulled on some warm clothes, a hat, and gloves and walked out the door. No, I’m still not running, but I’m walking. Step by step, mile by mile, I am working my way back, believing with every part of my being, that I will run again.

While walking, I thought back to a surgery I had years ago–another surgery prompted by too many miles, too little rest. How many years ago was that?, I wondered, as I navigated the hills that surround our home. I pulled my phone from the strap around my arm and went quickly to Google and punched in: Running Chatter surgery. I clicked on the first link and found a blog written 10 years ago.

I found that my former blog, unattended for years, was quite messy. I had to zoom in to find the date of that surgery years ago. Words overlapping with pictures, dates skewed, it looked like an run down home, abandoned and unloved for years. As my feet struck the pavement, I squinted to make out words in the mess of the blog. The words that stood out, was a text that my Dad sent me the day before my surgery:

“You’re better at dealing with things than thinking about them.  Bring on the next phase. . . it’s your strong suit.  Good luck.  Love, Dad.

(Yes, my dad signs his texts Love, Dad and I love him for it.)

Ten years later, the wisdom of my Dad hit me even more profoundly than it did a decade ago.

You’re better at dealing with things than thinking about them.

Personally, this has been a year of panic. Unknowns. Fear. Wading through the unknowns of my own physical ailments as well as some of those closest to me. Thinking about all of it throws me into an all out panic.

This week alone, fear has been tossed in our faces at a global level. One day, everything seemed just fine and the next, we are searching for groceries and figuring out how we will educate our children inside the walls of our own home. One minute we are making lists for the things we will take on our Spring Break trip and the next we are canceling flights and hotel reservations.

My first reaction was panic. Fear.

What are we going to do? How are we going to manage these days? What will tomorrow look like? The next day? The next? How long will this go on?

My dads words come back to me:

You’re better at dealing with things than thinking about them.

Today, I take a deep breath. I look toward the next weeks. So much of it is out of my control. A few things are in my control. I make a few decisions:

I will begin each day with a deep breath and a thank you for this day.
I will look for the good.
I will find something beautiful each day.
I will see these days of slowing down as a gift. I will find a gift in the everyday.
I will keep first things first.

I will not do these weeks perfectly, no doubt. Without a little intention, however, I’m certain I will completely fail.

Maybe I’m the only one who needed my Dad’s words this week, but for what it’s worth, I wanted to share them here in hopes to encourage anyone who might need them.

“You’re better at dealing with things than thinking about them.  Bring on the next phase. . . it’s your strong suit.  Good luck.