Life is Full of Beauty

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumblebee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” – Ashley Smith, author of Captive

 

You know this knee injury might just be a blessing in disguise. It has taken running away from me for over a year and a half, but I do think it has really helped me to appreciate everything around me- including running- more.

You have to really just embrace everything thrown at you. Whether it be an injury or a success, you just have to take it all in stride. Pick yourself up from your downs, and keep yourself grounded when things are looking up.

Notice the small things. I have lived so much of my life as a blur. I just watched the days pass and did the minimum. I was indifferent. From everything from food to hobbies, I could not have cared less.

I took running for granted. I did not train to my fullest ability. I did not stretch. I did not refuel my body. Yes, I wanted it. I wanted to succeed, but I did not pay attention to the small details. I did not work the way I needed to.

So here I am, at square 0. Nursing a recovering knee. Facing my very last year of eligibility to run in college. So what will it be?

I am biking and cross-training and incline-walking and lifting and working to get my body in the best shape it has ever been. I want to become stronger than I have ever been. And, if I can get back to running for this very last year, then it will be great. And, I am going to work my butt off to try to get there, but I’m coming to terms with it all. If I can’t then, I am starting to come to terms with that.

There is so much more than just running in my life. And, I love running. I truly do, and I don’t think that it is something that I will ever stop doing.

But for now it is time for me to take a big breath of fresh air. I tried camping IN AN ACTUAL TENT for the first time a month ago, and I loved it! I’ve never been much of an outdoorsy person, but it was so much fun. It was frigid and cold (early May will do that to ya!), but I loved it. I saw the beauty in the woods, in the trees, in the dirt, and this is something I have never appreciated before. How many trails have I run on? How many woods have I run through? But I have never seen it like this. THIS is what I have been missing out on. [See the beautiful picture I took peering over the edge of a cliff on one of our hikes!]

I want to enjoy food. I want to enjoy drinks. I want to enjoy life. I don’t want to be limited anymore. I don’t want to not care. I want to care. I want to feel.

Maybe this all happened for a reason. It’s time for me to start paying attention to the bumblebees. It’s time for me to start working on my other passions, and it’s time for me to embrace everything around me- both good and bad.

It’s time for me to form an opinion. It’s time for me to appreciate everything. It’s time for me to notice everything. It’s time for me to love everything. It’s time for me to see the world for how truly beautiful it is.