Thursday, March 8, 2007

Finish Line


My running group had a little post-marathon celebratory party last night. Most of us are wearing the medals we received for finishing. It was nice to see them again as I had gone straight home after the run.

Of course we said we would see each other again. And maybe we will. We even talked about continuing to get together for Saturday runs in Griffith Park now and then, as we did while we were training. We'll see. And several of them already have plans for future runs.

But it's also the nature of all things to come to an end. That's the lesson of Lent (day 14 today). Whether last night was the last time I'll see these people or if we see each other again some time, there will be a last time. Whether my first marathon was also my last marathon, or if I run another one, eventually I will run my last.

It's not meant to be a sad message but a sobering one. And the spiritually healthy response is not to cling to what inevitably slips away, but to enjoy it fully while you have it.

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