5/23/2015
Motivating myself to do things has always been easy. My simple formula has been to do things I enjoy. I found extra motivation this week when I planned to see a very dear family member. My cousin David provided me with many great childhood memories. He was one of the older figures I looked up to as a kid. His family invited me to stay with them over several summers and they even encouraged my participation in sport. Of course adulthood eventually grabbed hold of us and making a living became the top priority. My priorities have changed somewhat. These days it is less about making a living and more about just living.
I ran thirty-seven miles to from Rhode Island into Massachusetts so that I wouldn’t miss my cousin. He too has been running for several years and has participated in numerous races. He had planned to race over the Memorial Day weekend in Vermont. When I ran into Massachusetts, I noticed the sidewalks became spotty and the pollen was like a blizzard. I found debris constantly finding its way into my esophagus. I hacked and hacked until I expelled the particles that irritated my throat. The irritants also worked their way into my eyeballs. At times when I rubbed my eyes I could feel stuff behind my eyelids.
I was surprised to find plenty of hills to run on and cars that zipped past me a high speeds. The motorists seemed to like runners though. I thought they shouted words of encouragement at me. Of course I could have mistaken obscenities for cheering. I had always been an optimist.
Crystal drove me to my cousin’s home. We drove up a street where the houses sat on large plots of land. The air was crisp and the vegetation was green. My cousin and two dogs greeted us upon arrival. My cousin took me and Crystal to dinner but also treated us to an ice cream at a stand operated by a local dairy farm. It was the smoothest and richest ice cream we had ever eaten. It hit the spot despite the chilly weather. You knew it was good because there was a large crowd and a parking lot with little space.
I did wish we had more time together but perhaps we will have another chance to hang out somewhere in the middle of the country. There have been plenty of surprises with the people in my life.
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