Lessons From a Turtle

Sunday is the Lewis & Clark Marathon in St. Charles, MO. The weather forecast calls for heavy rain - the remenants of hurricane Ike. Running a marathon in a heavy downpour is not the most enjoyable thing, Shoes and socks become saturated with water, blisters tend to form, and the finish line can seem even further away than usual.

I'm still planning on running the marathon even if the weather is as bad as forecasted. The weather may change my goals a bit, but I still plan on running.

Today was an interesting day to stumble across an article written by a runner heading out the door for a run in rather miserable rainy weather. She contemplated turning around and returning home when the rain picked up almost as soon as she started running. However, a slow-moving turtle managed to convince her of the importance of continuing the journey. She first encountered him trying to cross from one side of the road to the other on her trip out. When she returned back along the path on the trip home, she was surprised to see him just about to complete his daunting journey from one side of the road to the other. Below is the story of "Pete" (the name bestowed on this snapping turtle by the runner):

"Even though for my turtle the unknown was not the sea, but a lake, his destination was unknown just the same. Suddenly, instead of seeing his crossing of the road as a mundane task, I recognized it for what it was: a small adventure within a larger one. I realized that every moment, every day, is a journey within a journey within a journey. No challenge is so insignificant that it adds not to the grand masterpiece of our lives. Embracing the adventure of each road we must cross, we keep our eyes focused on that wonderful, mysterious beyond.

That afternoon, I realized that in my silly petulance, I had flippantly tossed aside the adventure of my run and missed the beauty of simply crossing the road. As I left Pete the Turtle to continue his journey across the miles, I pushed a strand of wet hair from my face and headed back home."