Recharge

No one can keep up a frantic pace indefinitely without crashing, just as no one can walk 1,000 miles nonstop. Sometimes, the pace has to slow, the time at the gym has to shorten and the muscles - and heart and mind - have to heal, to recharge.

I've been slower than I'd have liked for the past few days, recovering from soreness that has compounded a lingering cough. Slower, but not stopped - I've yet to enter a 0.0 daily mileage on my odometer spreadsheet. And this slower pace has allowed me to contemplate the spiritual and mental sides as well - slowing down is another type of learning and growth. If we're always focused on a distant goal, we miss what we might be passing by on our way to reach it. Sometimes, along the journey, we need to take our eyes off the finish in order to see the sidelines, and admire the richness all around us. I'm still struggling to find balance for work, family, volunteering, exercise, hobbies, and the rest of the facets of my life, but step by step each goal - near and far - is coming closer.

A recharge, then, is often essential. It might put us temporarily behind a prominent goal, but it allows us to remember why we're aiming for that goal, and we can step out again refreshed, energized, and ready to proceed. Will I reach my goals - 1,000 miles and otherwise - by December 31? It is far too early to make that judgement, but a bit more rested, I can at least continue on my way.