A Mother to Admire

Thank you, mom, for being my inspiration in so many things in life. My mom is an amazing woman: a mother of five, a wife of 52 years, a joyous 72 year old woman who still works and also cares for my blind father and has now decided to start running. While eating lunch, she throws into the conversation that she started "jogging" while walking her golden retriever, Haddy. My heart warmed, my smile widen. You what? "I started jogging a little while walking Haddy. It's hard to breathe through my nose though". I wondered why she would be breathing through her nose, but that was for another conversation. Could it be that I have a compatriot in this wonderfully fulfilling, challenging, often painful sport of running? What a gift. Think of the conversations we can have, because I love talking about running. My mind was already planning a walk/run 5k race in the future. I had to tell myself to slow down, not let my excitement injure my mother.

I am humbled and overjoyed. Humbled, that I would ever limit myself with my age. Who am I to hedge my opportunities with the number of birthdays I've marked, the aches in my joints or my lack of clear vision? As long as I'm active, always looking ahead, challenging new goals, the years only open the road of adventures before me. Look at mom, an incredible example of how a strong body and mind, a great sense of humor, can keep the pages turning through many chapters in this lovely story we call life. Thank you, mom, for writing such a beautiful book. Maybe a future chapter will hold that race.