Because it makes me feel like this....
My costume just isn't this fancy. My favorite thing about running is how it makes me feel. Not *quite* like a super hero......but a tiny bit like a warrior, I admit it. The sense of personal satisfaction that I have after a run is something that I don't really get in other areas of my life, at least not in the short term.
I recently got into an online discussion about the whole "Being a stay at home Mom is the hardest job in the world" thing, spurred on by recent news re: Ann Romney. I'm the first to say that I fervently DON'T believe that it is the hardest job in the world, in fact, I see it as a bit of a luxury. A luxury with incredibly little immediate returns or instant gratification, but a luxury nonetheless. I loved one persons input "Being a MOM is the hardest job in the world".....working out side the home or in it, this is a hard ass job. We love these little people so much, and are (collectively) doing our best for them. That manifests itself in so many different ways, working or staying at home, depending on our family and our individual needs. The hardest transition for me from being a corporate warrior to a household warrior was and is the recognition. I admit to missing those paychecks. And having been in sales, I miss the recognition of being *good* at my job, as witnessed by volume and performance. I don't get anyone patting me on the back for emptying the dishwasher for the thousandth time, or changing diapers like a champ. The time put in isn't instantly gratified like my monthly sales volume was quantified. I don't really have a compass for what sort of job I am doing, long term. Of course its gratified in hugs and kisses and "good" kids.....but there is no guarantee of the long term pay off or how the seeds I'm sowing at home will really turn out. I may totally suck at my job, in the long run, only time will tell.
I think that this is my favorite thing about running. Its gratifying, and quantifiable. I can see exactly how many miles I ran, I can see myself get better, I can see the rewards of the miles and time I put in in the short term. I love that.
I had a wonderful yoga class this morning while Nate was at school, a lovely family lunch, and then snuck in 8 sunny miles with Tiffany while my entire family slept. The kids went to an awesome birthday party, and after our night out last night, Nate and I are settled in for a quiet night at home and a feast courtesy of Carlinos. I feel accomplished, and quiet. My body is happy, my soul is happy, and my family is happy......and running played an integral part in that.
What is it about running that draws you in? Is it the way it makes you look? The way it makes you feel? The accomplishments, the endorphins?
Anyway, I hope everyone is having a great weekend. You deserve it, warrior :)
Exactly how I feel. As for what draws me in ~ I love the challenge of it, the adrenaline, the feeling of accomplishment. Never thought of it before in terms of "immediate rewards," but yah, that, too. :-)
ReplyDeleteI think, like most everything in life, you get from it what you put into it...Parenting can be a challenge, but there are lots of rewards if you choose to see them. A job can be great or horrible depending on your viewpoint as well. We are often handed situations we wouldn't choose (a difficult parenting issue, a crappy boss), but we can always choose how we react and how we let those situations define us. I can absolutely see how staying at home full time with small children could be viewed as the most horrible form of torture, but the same can be said of a demoralizing crappy job. You can work your ass off at both and still not come up with the results you expect...no guarantees in life and all that jazz.
ReplyDeleteAs for running? Well, I am average at best. I am limited in the amount and intensity of running I can do because of arthritis that I cannot change. I know I have an excuse to sit around on the couch or choose another activity, but I really do enjoy the challenge. My outcome may be measured differently than most (finishes are the challenge, more than a PR), but I find it quite satisfying to push on. It makes my mind happy and helps me be better at the rest of life. It's my "me" time.