Growing Up In A Small Town; How Sweet It Is!!!

Good Day Everyone!

I went for a 3 mile run this morning. I have a 4 miler tomorrow and that's it before 26.2 Large on Sunday in Montana! As I headed out of my subdivision for a lap down heartbreak hill and back; I noticed a man in a wheelchair on the sidewalk on the other side of the street. I try not to ever complain about the miles I must put in to train for a marathon, but on this particular day I said a prayer as I went by the man in the wheelchair. How fortunate I was to have my health and be able to run. The man was a lot older than me. I thought about all the things that he may have done in his life and now he was watching me and most probably wishing he was able to run just one more time. We all take for granted so many things in our lives. The people we meet, the things we are able to do and the places we are able to go. I too will be older one day, what will I be doing when I am 75? I hope I will be running and sharing another story with you!!!

Growing up in a small town you learn many things. You learn how to work hard and you learn the value of a dollar. You learn to trust people by there word. They mean what they say and they say what they mean. That's all you have to go on, and that word is as good as gold. If someone tells you they will pay you next week for a job you did today; you trust that you will get paid. If someone tells you that they will mow your yard when your gone for a week; you trust that it will get done. If someone tells you they will paint your house because you let them hunt on your farm; you trust that your house will get painted. Trust. How little of a word that means so much and can hurt so badly when it is broken. Then there is another attribute that we need to possess that is also very important. That is forgiveness. When someone hurts us we must forgive them and continue our friendship and/or, our love for them. The world must forgive in order to grow stronger. People must forgive and trust in order to grow stronger and live longer. I myself am learning how to build upon both of these very important qualities. I grew up in a small town of 411 people. I learned how to work hard. I learned how to love with all my heart do to my dear mother. I learned how to trust. Now I am learning how to forgive...

Be thankful for what you have in your life. Make new friends and never forget how to trust and forgive. Never forget how to love with all your heart. One day we will all be older and we will look back and reflect on all the things we did and left behind. I pray that I will look back and smile for the journey I have taken; although not without difficulty or mishap, was a fruitful and fulfilled life that touched many people positively along the way!!!

Run because you can. Smile because you can. Love because you can!

To all those marathoners...."Hard training, easy combat; easy training, hard combat." (Marshal Suvorov, Russian General)

KB