Yesterday was 4th of July, and for third year in a row I ran/walk the Peachtree Road Race. A 10K race that thousands of people participate. Believe me, I hate to run...I mean I cannot find any pleasure in doing such thing, but for love I do it. Brad introduced me to it three years ago, something that he started five years ago as a family tradition...and somehow I got into it as well.
I guess the best part of doing it is that strangers cheer you up, thousands of volunteers along side give you water, words of courage like you are doing this for some personal cause. Like you have to do it, and is totally voluntarly. Most of the businesses along side the race (since one of the main roads of Atlanta is closed for several hours) cooperate and bring the best of mankind. I think that is the best of it...for couple of hours, everybody is friendly, you are there completing such achievement...does not matter you time. Young and old we are in the same spot...cheering each other that "we can do this...together". Is really such a great joy to feel human, that after all the bad news we heard, listen and see there is something good in humans.
Part of the race goes through what I called the Triple Crown...a series of churches of different denomination one in front of each other and beside each other. During the race some priests go out with holly water. Of course through the race you will find some Christian band, some loud prayers to remind us about our sins and that somewhere there is a heaven if we realized the wrong road ahead. I laughed and made a weird smile when I go by...I just think for a moment how possible I can say "thanks" when I remembered such horrors we read time to time in the news. Somebody rape, some child abducted...chills go through my spine and suddnely I woke up again, walking faster and tired.
Incredibly when I was going by the first church...I remember Everett, this child who could have been the friend of my son and opportunity was not given. I felt sad suddenly. And incredibly, I made a long lasting prayer while I starting to run. I promised that I was going to run until Lindbergh Way as a goal and during that time, on my head I threw out these words...for whoever listen to me, I don't care who you might want to think I say it, I just can say it to the ones I know...so I told myself, I am saying this prayer to you:
"Please give me a strength to finish this...I haven't done an exercise over a year because I just didn't feel to do it and in all reality I have no idea that being pregnant was hard...being a good mother is harder. I have doubts, concerns...please forgive me for pick up Dylan so late the last Friday. Poor child, he was the last one in the daycare and I promised myslef I won't do this again. He does not deserved it. Give me patience while I am driving, I know I shouldn't yell at people or give them the finger...I can get killed or cause something worse but really there are some idiots should not be driving at all, why you just can't put a flat tire in all their tires? at once please? Please remind me that I should remember to say I love you to Brad everyday, he does it at all times...and sometimes I feel why he do it? He loves me, what dumb me...and I sometimes still to say I love you too I am start thinking that I forgot to marinate a chicken...who cares. Think for a moment in something else than taking care of a house. The house will stay, your love can get on jeopardy if you do not pay attention it. Give strenght to my friends that miss their son, he went away too son...not fair. Give health to Dylan and Brad...and all our families so they can be part of his life too. To remember to keep in touch with friends even to say hello. Give me strength to finish my job, I don't feel happy about it...I feel I just can't keep up with anything. Am I losing myself? ...protect my parents, they are getting old and it worries me and there is not much I can do about it. Anyway, to whoever in pain...please can it go away? "
Time went up and I crossed Lindbergh Way.
I guess the best part of doing it is that strangers cheer you up, thousands of volunteers along side give you water, words of courage like you are doing this for some personal cause. Like you have to do it, and is totally voluntarly. Most of the businesses along side the race (since one of the main roads of Atlanta is closed for several hours) cooperate and bring the best of mankind. I think that is the best of it...for couple of hours, everybody is friendly, you are there completing such achievement...does not matter you time. Young and old we are in the same spot...cheering each other that "we can do this...together". Is really such a great joy to feel human, that after all the bad news we heard, listen and see there is something good in humans.
Part of the race goes through what I called the Triple Crown...a series of churches of different denomination one in front of each other and beside each other. During the race some priests go out with holly water. Of course through the race you will find some Christian band, some loud prayers to remind us about our sins and that somewhere there is a heaven if we realized the wrong road ahead. I laughed and made a weird smile when I go by...I just think for a moment how possible I can say "thanks" when I remembered such horrors we read time to time in the news. Somebody rape, some child abducted...chills go through my spine and suddnely I woke up again, walking faster and tired.
Incredibly when I was going by the first church...I remember Everett, this child who could have been the friend of my son and opportunity was not given. I felt sad suddenly. And incredibly, I made a long lasting prayer while I starting to run. I promised that I was going to run until Lindbergh Way as a goal and during that time, on my head I threw out these words...for whoever listen to me, I don't care who you might want to think I say it, I just can say it to the ones I know...so I told myself, I am saying this prayer to you:
"Please give me a strength to finish this...I haven't done an exercise over a year because I just didn't feel to do it and in all reality I have no idea that being pregnant was hard...being a good mother is harder. I have doubts, concerns...please forgive me for pick up Dylan so late the last Friday. Poor child, he was the last one in the daycare and I promised myslef I won't do this again. He does not deserved it. Give me patience while I am driving, I know I shouldn't yell at people or give them the finger...I can get killed or cause something worse but really there are some idiots should not be driving at all, why you just can't put a flat tire in all their tires? at once please? Please remind me that I should remember to say I love you to Brad everyday, he does it at all times...and sometimes I feel why he do it? He loves me, what dumb me...and I sometimes still to say I love you too I am start thinking that I forgot to marinate a chicken...who cares. Think for a moment in something else than taking care of a house. The house will stay, your love can get on jeopardy if you do not pay attention it. Give strenght to my friends that miss their son, he went away too son...not fair. Give health to Dylan and Brad...and all our families so they can be part of his life too. To remember to keep in touch with friends even to say hello. Give me strength to finish my job, I don't feel happy about it...I feel I just can't keep up with anything. Am I losing myself? ...protect my parents, they are getting old and it worries me and there is not much I can do about it. Anyway, to whoever in pain...please can it go away? "
Time went up and I crossed Lindbergh Way.
I like the part of your prayer related to driving. Everyone should say that prayer daily.
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