Optimistic About The Long Road Ahead

Optimistic About The Long Road Ahead

I’m forever an optimist. It’s how I choose to fuel each day with the passion that drives me toward discovery, fills my heart with joy, and in countless other ways turns a world of incredible potential into a daily endeavor to maximize a life that includes blessings of all kinds, thanks for so much and fulfillment in many small and big ways. Certainly, not every day is perfect, but every day has that potential.  

I’m also a recreational long distance runner, and I feed off the same optimistic outlook to get me through my yearly marathon training seasons. Like life, not every run is a joy filled experience, some can be an outright grind to get through. More often than not, I still find things sunny side up. Sometimes it’s as simple as enjoying the beauty of an early morning run through Bunker Hills Park, or training with my running partners as we banter away during a Saturday morning long run.

I can’t pinpoint if the distance running brought me in line with being a more positive person, or if being optimistic by nature allowed me to work through the challenges of long distance training. I started running in 1972, so there’s no way I’d remember my ah-ha moment, if in fact there was one. I can say, after all these years, and most certainly in the political and opinion charged world we live in, it’s never been more important to allow myself the opportunity to make time to be physically active and thus, retain a positive attitude.   

It can be tough to keep moving forward and stay focused. From the time our brainwaves kick start our minds into gear each morning, right up until our eyelids close shop for the day, we are barraged with hundreds and hundreds of decisions to make. From the simple choice of breakfast food, to the demands of 65 mile per hour freeway maneuvers, to how we are going to interact, and react, to the people and situations that come our way.

On marathon race day, the journey begins with very high hopes. You hear plenty of chatter and see lots of hopeful faces those first few miles. Right up until reality sets in and runners begin to find out if they are truly prepared for the race. We all struggle during a marathon, albeit at different points along the course, even losing sight of our goals, but we dig deep within ourselves and push through those tough miles, finding a way to get back on pace. It can be easy to give in, but it’s devastating to give up.

Just like the final, arduous six miles of a marathon, pushing through the early months of the new administration won’t be easy. It will be a struggle to find our way, at first, and while not everyone will be able to step up and become leaders in our communities, each of us can take a stand up for something we believe in. We can cheer for someone making a difference, and we can find ways to provide support to those in our society working to make a difference along the paths of freedom, equality and hope.

The optimism I have for our nation is buoyed by the sheer volume of Americans from all walks of life that are participating in political and social processes. People are making time to get involved! Issues are being discussed, conversations are taking place and our nation is being stoked by millions of people that had previously been standing on the sidelines!

Now is the time to push through the tough miles and challenge issues, debate opposing views and be strong enough to know when to keep fighting, and compassionate enough to know when it’s best to compromise. Without constant pressure, a lump of carbon remains hard and dark. We need to keep up the pressure on our local, regional and national politicians so we can all shine brighter.

It will be a grind, at times, to keep fighting the fight, but if you are fed by the desire to see people succeed in a free and supportive country, if you know in your heart that we need to provide for the homeless and nurture the helpless, if your compassion brings a connection to make the lonely feel wanted, if your soul feels the call to mend the broken and counsel the lost, if your spirit tells you to spread the word that our natural resources must be treated like the unique and finite entities they are, then you must get involved. Like the runner that gets up every morning to build their stamina, you must renew your commitment to your passion and to your goals each day. You must move forward, however much, or little, that day will bring. It is still moving forward, it is still making a difference. Unless we all choose to do so, we are not gaining ground, and we are not building a better country for the future. We are merely running in place and we will find our future selves no nearer to the finish line, no nearer to our goals. Push yourself and in turn you will pull others along with you to a brighter future.