A new friend

I made a friend today.

No, I didn't find a magic hat and put it on top of a snowman. He isn't some imaginary creature that only I can see. I really did make a new friend today. I did it while running.

This morning I left the house about 7:30 - 8:00am in hopes of getting in three miles before heading up home for the Thanksgiving holiday. I figure the more calories I burn, the more I can eat this weekend. Sounds logical. Anyway, as I was about half way through my run, I heard a voice behind me..."Coming up on your right." Ok, this is a good thing. Take note. If you are running and come up on another person going the same direction, announce yourself. Don't scare the bejeezers out of somebody, by sneaking up on them. If you come up on me unannounced you will probably get the crap beat out of you.

I digress. This runner was going at a faster pace than I, so I said "Hello" and "Have a Happy Thanksgiving" fully prepared for him to say the same and leave me standing in his dust. Instead, he began to strike up a conversation. First of all, I do not run well with others. Secondly, I can not run and talk and breathe...but for some reason, something in me changed. I found myself picking up my pace to stay even with him and joined in with the conversation.

I found out a lot about him. He had been running since the late 80's. I told him that I had just started about six years ago. He had heard that I had run several marathons and then informed me that he had a goal of running one when he turned 50. His health had been an issue and kept him from reaching that goal. This guy had some serious digestive issues. He let me know that he had just gotten back on solid food in June and here he is running 4.5 miles. Wow. He is currently 51. We talked about flat marathons (I suggested Huntington WV), how his wife knows my wife, and that he thinks I look like Corey Haim... (I replied, "without the drugs"). It was a great last mile and a half.

It was so great to hear just a part of his story, to listen to just a bit of his triumphs and struggles. He showed me something that I had never seen before.

We are all on the same path. There are those of us that have struggled harder and longer, yet keep running. Goals are made. Things happen that keep us from those goals, but we continue to move toward them. We fight through pain. We stay focused. "Must finish the race." Some have it easy. They never get hurt. Things just come naturally for them. They never gain weight. They have time in abundance. Yet the goal is the same. "Must finish the race."

Paul said it best in Philippians, "Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

We are all on the same path.

For the record, I do not look like Corey Haim.