Tonight, I ran.
Five laps around the pond of my backyard. I figure that's about 1 mile. A good impulse run to work out some of the caffeine of my quadruple espresso. Hours later my fingers still jitter above the keys.
Tonight, I ran.
Lap 1. Let's keep a slow pace. I guess I'll run one, walk one, run two, walk one. That'll be good. I wonder if those guys fishing are going to catch anything.
Tonight, I ran.
Lap 2. God, I want to finish something. I want to go 13.1 miles because I need to. I need a challenge. I need to stop being complacent and actually do something. I guess they didn't catch anything.
Tonight, I ran.
Lap 3. This is a good thing. I can feel it. I need to have some sort of story. Maybe this is my inciting incident. I really can't go back now. My life doesn't have enough stories. And I already paid my $45 entry.
Tonight, I ran.
Lap 4. You know, I've never had to work really hard for anything. My life has been easy. Minimal studying still warranted good grades, my jobs have been relatively simple sales, retail and food-service positions, my church work is only as intense as I make it. And, come to think of it, the hardest conflict of my life was momentary. I didn't have to work hard at it. I essentially faced it a moment, turned and ran. And in certain ways, I'm still running. Really, most of the running I've done hasn't been running into anything; I've always been running away. I swallowed a bug.
Tonight, I ran.
Lap 5. I don't care how much farther I have to go. I just have to finish. This time it's not about distance, impressing other people or looking good. It's not for my ego or to be in shape. It's not to prove anything. I just need to finish. I need to finish because I've never had to work at anything, and I need to work hard. I need to work at my job. I need to work at my church, my education, my relationships. It's not about anything but finishing, and becoming a better character by the end.
Tonight, I run.
Showing posts with label A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
A Million Miles for him, 13.1 for me
I finally read the book.
My friends said, "Well, if you gave her a copy you'd better read it so you can talk about it. So, in two sittings I read the whole things. It was really good! I loved the analogy of story and life, and how Miller's conversational writing turned the pages for me.
It really got me thinking, about my life, and the story I'm living. I avoid any conflict, any pain - even good pain. Like exercise. I tried to run a few months ago. I went twice, then got bronchitis. I played basketball a couple weeks ago. That was a lot of fun. I enjoy exercise more than the idea of it. Usually, it's the other way around. I live in my brain a lot.
For a character to develop, he has to struggle, to overcome something, or to be overcome by something. But not trying means no development. And that's a boring story.
I'm going to run a half-marathon. The Prairie State Half-Marathon in Libertyville, IL, October 9, 2010. It costs $45. I think it'd be fun to run with a group of friends, and we all dress like the Super-Friends. I'd be Spider-Dan.
I really need to do this. I need to stretch, to be challenged, to grow. I need conflict. I need to overcome. It's time.
Who's coming with me?
My friends said, "Well, if you gave her a copy you'd better read it so you can talk about it. So, in two sittings I read the whole things. It was really good! I loved the analogy of story and life, and how Miller's conversational writing turned the pages for me.
It really got me thinking, about my life, and the story I'm living. I avoid any conflict, any pain - even good pain. Like exercise. I tried to run a few months ago. I went twice, then got bronchitis. I played basketball a couple weeks ago. That was a lot of fun. I enjoy exercise more than the idea of it. Usually, it's the other way around. I live in my brain a lot.
For a character to develop, he has to struggle, to overcome something, or to be overcome by something. But not trying means no development. And that's a boring story.
I'm going to run a half-marathon. The Prairie State Half-Marathon in Libertyville, IL, October 9, 2010. It costs $45. I think it'd be fun to run with a group of friends, and we all dress like the Super-Friends. I'd be Spider-Dan.
I really need to do this. I need to stretch, to be challenged, to grow. I need conflict. I need to overcome. It's time.
Who's coming with me?
Monday, June 14, 2010
A Million Miles... A thousand copies.
I'm two for two.
I had Donald Miller's book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years recommended to me by three different people. I figured I'd better check it out.
I went to Family Christian on the 8th and picked up a copy. I read about 4 pages and lent it to a friend. I don't plan on getting it back. I heard once that if you want someone to read a book, you should "loan" it to them so they feel the sense of urgency, then when they say how much they enjoyed it you can say, "Great! Keep it."
So, today, I went back to Family Christian (the book was on sale for 50% off, and still is) and got another copy. Then I went to get my haircut. My regular stylist told me how she was looking for a local church, and she's going through a divorce, and other things. She did a fantastic job with my hair.
As I climbed back into my car, feeling particularly sexy, I saw the book next to me. And I had that strange sense, the one that only comes out of a habit of listening to God, that I should give the book to my stylist. I thought about it, flipped through the book, read a few words, thought how ridiculous that would be. Then I got out of the car, walked back in, asked her if she reads, and upon hearing, "Yes," I left it on her station where she said she would pick it up and read before my next haircut.
So, now I'm out two copies. But I think that second event really gets at Miller's point: Are we living a story worth telling?
Stories happen when people do things that people normally wouldn't do.
Anybody have any stories lately?
I had Donald Miller's book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years recommended to me by three different people. I figured I'd better check it out.
I went to Family Christian on the 8th and picked up a copy. I read about 4 pages and lent it to a friend. I don't plan on getting it back. I heard once that if you want someone to read a book, you should "loan" it to them so they feel the sense of urgency, then when they say how much they enjoyed it you can say, "Great! Keep it."
So, today, I went back to Family Christian (the book was on sale for 50% off, and still is) and got another copy. Then I went to get my haircut. My regular stylist told me how she was looking for a local church, and she's going through a divorce, and other things. She did a fantastic job with my hair.
As I climbed back into my car, feeling particularly sexy, I saw the book next to me. And I had that strange sense, the one that only comes out of a habit of listening to God, that I should give the book to my stylist. I thought about it, flipped through the book, read a few words, thought how ridiculous that would be. Then I got out of the car, walked back in, asked her if she reads, and upon hearing, "Yes," I left it on her station where she said she would pick it up and read before my next haircut.
So, now I'm out two copies. But I think that second event really gets at Miller's point: Are we living a story worth telling?
Stories happen when people do things that people normally wouldn't do.
Anybody have any stories lately?
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