Books That Stick With Us, Letting Go of a Run Sometimes, and Baked Beth's Lazy Eye!

Reading a really great book right now.  The kind that touches and teaches to my heart, mind, and spirit!  Love books like this.  Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese is a book that will probably stick with me in some way for most of my life.  I've read many books like this...the kind of book that creeps into my mind at the most unexpected of moments, reminding me of a feeling or lesson that I learned....maybe a fact from history or a story about a custom in another country.  It was hard for me to put my book down today.  I just wanted to keep reading and reading.  I found myself marking in the margins, underlining key lines that "spoke" to me and folding the corners so I wouldn't lose these precious little nuggets of writing.  My favorite lines from today are about Ghosh, one of the main characters:  


"The bow tie told the world how pleased he was to be alive and how much he celebrated his profession, which he called "my romantic and passionate pursuit".  The way Ghosh practiced his profession, the way he lived his life, it was all that."


These were just a couple of the sentences that I loved from today.  This part in particular says so much about how I want and do live my life.  My profession is my "romantic and passionate pursuit".  Right now that is motherhood.  When I'm teaching, it is changing lives and learning about literacy instruction.  When I am student, it is learning and absorbing all that I can.  I love the character Ghosh...a man that lives his life with passion, purpose and intention.  I think we can be passionate and purposeful and many things in life...it is up to us to find joy and meaning in our daily living.  

Still Fine Tuning My Life Balance

My Runninghood Facebook Status tonight:


Am I going to remember the 10 miles I run tonight (for a race I'm not even really seriously training for) or am I going to remember staying home and baking cookies with my daughters and jumping on the trampoline on this beautiful fall evening? Hmmm, sometimes you just don't run and that's okay too! Always finding that fine balance between dedication and letting go a little for the sake of experiencing the present moments.


I'm really glad that I stayed home and made cookies tonight.  As I was putting on my Garmin and lacing up my shoes to go on a 10 mile run, my little man came up to me with his two year old grin and asked me to jump on the trampoline with him and my daughter reminded me for the tenth time that we were going to make cookies today.  At that point I realized that this 10 miles that I had planned could wait.  It wasn't something that I HAD to do.  I am not training for anything serious...just training enough to keep a base and not fall on my face at the couple of races I have coming up.  I know that once my training picks up again for Boston (Yes, I got in!) then I will make sure I am focused and dedicated.  I think it is good for my kids to see both sides:


A.  That their Mom sets goals, works hard, and is dedicated and diligent when it comes to her training.
   and 
B.  That their Mom can let a run go sometimes and be okay with it.  Especially if it means that she did it to stay home and do something fun with them.  


I think both of these sides teach them something.  They learn that dedication, hard work and commitment to a goal is important to being successful in life.  They also learn that it is important to find balance, let go of control sometimes, and enjoy being spontaneous and living for the moment.  It is really easy for runners (anyone really) to get obsessive about something that is important to them.  Sometimes to the point of losing sight of some of the MORE important parts of life.  Just part of finding balance.


Creative Energy


I think it is pretty lame that I keep forgetting about my own contest.  You know, the one that challenges you all to get in touch with your "inner artist".  Asking you to paint, play with clay, draw a cartoon, arrange a vegetable collage perhaps, write a poem...whatever. Something just to see how being creative gives you energy in a way you might not have expected.  I've only had a few of you send me pictures and that's okay.  This really wasn't about seeing how many people could get to join some silly contest.  Some of you might not even like the prize.  It was more about having an urge to be more creative and try to do something outside my comfort box as a way to energize my life and I wanted to share the challenge with you.  Those of you who have done this, have mentioned or written to me to tell me how it has been fun, enlightening, relaxing, or energizing in some way. 


Julie from Finish Line Diaries just recently posted about her creative process.  Check it 
out.  Thanks Julie!  Love it! 

Jenn even baked SUAR in the oven and gave her a lazy eye to go with her green bikini. 

Those of you that still want to participate, You have a week to get down and dirty with your crayolas or tape.  Even band aid art!  Maybe some old running shoes? So, here's a link to the Contest:  Getting Back To Basics!  Have fun!     




What is one of your all-time favorite books and why?  



Are you Running the Boston Marathon or do you know of someone running?  


Do you write in the margins of your books and underline favorite lines??