It was Thanksgiving weekend, 1994. I had picked Toni up from the airport in Columbus, she'd flown in from NYC for the weekend, to be with her family. She and I were not officially a couple, not publicly. I was still married to someone else.
I was nervous. I didn't know what to expect. It was more awkward than you might imagine, the last time I had met them was probably as guests at my first wedding.
And yet, I was welcomed, unconditionally. That's what they do, that's who they are, beautiful, open-hearted people, quite possibly the least judgmental people I know. It is always a joy to return to this place, even or especially when times are difficult. It's the safest place I know.
Distance: 4 miles
Avg. Pace: 8:02
Duration: 32:10
Route: Hocking River Bike Path
We're having an impromptu gathering at the house this weekend, aunts and uncles and lots of visitors. Clear skies, cookouts, and children. You would think that things were good.
Temperature: 78°
Climate: sunny & hot
Mood: what you might expect
The kids and I packed for one night, and I brought my running kit. I wasn't sure if I would take the time, with so much going on here, but by the end of the morning I figured, what is my excuse not to? I used to love running, and now I kind of dread it. I know I will feel some pain, that I may need to go slow, that I'll be tried, thirsty, things I don't normally worry about.
And yet, it was gorgeous. Hot, but with a little breeze. I was going to run three, but at a mile and a half, I just had to keep going. The last time we were in Athens I was winded already at a mile and a half. It felt very good.
What's That Lyric?
A Night Like This - The Cure
No comments:
Post a Comment