Ran eight miles today and have no pain -- sweet!
While running I listened to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, my favorite album, and caught her reference to Psalm 73 for the first time. I think it applies to runner's envy, which I get sometimes, since I am a slow runner with bad knees on a college campus with lots of fast runners:
Surely God is good...
to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
For I envied the arrogant...
They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.
They are free from common human burdens;
they are not plagued by human ills.
Unfortunately, the Psalm is about condemning the wicked (which does not apply here) and is pretty intolerant. But it is also about not desiring what you don't have, and learning to love what you do have:
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
Although this Psalmist is tormented much more by his own inadequacy than I am by mine, I appreciate the peace that he finds despite his weaknesses.
As a rising star (who happened to be female) in the hip hop world cutting an album that would change history, Lauryn Hill had her own reasons for choosing Psalm 73. I don't blame her. As for me, I pick Psalm 131:
Psalm 131
A song of ascents.
My heart is not proud, LORD,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
But I have calmed and quieted myself,
I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child I am content.
May you find calm in the week ahead!
Amazing on the 8 miles Alison! Way to go, I should have ran a 7 miler in line with my 1/2 training plan but I chose not to, I was not mentally ready, physically I could have but mentally it would have crushed me. I'll stick to my plan this week though. I do also love Lauryn Hill's album. It's a great one in my collection that I have not picked up lately. I'm going to listen to it tomorrow in honor of your 8 miler. Sweet!
ReplyDeleteHey, thanks for posting a comment! I really appreciate you thinking of me tomorrow by listening to Lauryn Hill. :) And also, I definitely get the decision to wait on the 7 mile run. Sounds like it was the right one. Good luck training for your 1/2 marathon!!
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