By David Freeze
Do You Love Life? And Our Ice Cream 5K is Just Ahead!
A neighbor and good friend passed away a couple of weeks ago, and the pastor doing the graveside service said, “One thing about Gene, he loved life!” The pastor went on to say why, much about being inquisitive, involved, loving and smart.
I have been walking mostly for the last two weeks after somehow acquiring inflammation and infection in both lungs. Tired legs and shortness of breath alerted me to the issue, then a lung CT confirmed it. Ten days of meds are hopefully the solution.
But along the way, I missed running with the graduates of our latest beginning runners class. I missed running the Special Olympics Torch Run for the first time in many years. And the daily walks have adjusted my fitness goals for a while. But I do love walking, because the thinking is easier and less jumbled as it is on the run.
Last week, I had a very busy week and a few deadlines. And one of my favorite races, the Main Street Challenge 5K in China Grove, was just ahead on Friday evening. The weather was great all week, I had time to work on some delayed projects and more energy helped by Prednisone. I had one of those days when projects kept coming and I kept knocking them out. One of the biggest was to slightly change the newest version of the Main Street Challenge course, which meant an extra four miles of walking behind a wheel counter. At that point, a friend said, “You love all this, don’t you?” He was right, I do love all these things. And I love life too, even including most of the hard things.
As we grow older, our perspective on so many things will likely change. What is important to us might change too, but all of it has to do with our makeup. Keep a positive outlook. Feeling a sense of gratitude and appreciation for everyday experiences is a strong sign. This includes enjoying simple pleasures and finding joy in routine activities.
We all should have our passions and pursue them. Engaging in activities that excite and inspire us indicate a love for life. These could be hobbies, work, or relationships that bring fulfillment and happiness. Never underestimate the joy of volunteerism.
Setbacks will come for sure, but we have to be resilient. Being able to cope with challenges and setbacks while maintaining a hopeful perspective shows a deep connection to life. This resilience often stems from a love for the journey itself. My own journey comes with a perpetual “I think I can” attitude, which sounds easier than it is.
I think strong connections to others are key. Building and maintaining meaningful relationships with others enhances a love for life. Feeling supported and connected to friends and family contributes significantly to overall happiness. Grandchildren help!
Our Chillin’ to the Bare Bones 5K is just ahead, at 8:30am on Saturday, May 23rd at Overton Elementary School. We will use the greenway there and portions of the Eagle Heights neighborhood. All participants, runners and walkers, get their choice of a bunch of ice cream options including popsicles, Nutty Buddies, ice cream sandwiches and much more, all provided by Novant Health. Run the race and then grab your ice cream. We will have the usual refreshment options as well. Elite race directors Wayne Crowder and Lynn Furr will manage the event. Crowder was once rated as one of the best runners in the southeast and Furr is his protégé.
As usual, the 25th Annual Cathy Griffin Century 21 Town and Country Realty Bare Bones 5K is low-key and open to anyone. The fun run, a half-mile, is flat and very fast and also is open to anyone, but kids 12 and under get the awards. All 5K participants get a very unique commemorative shirt. Dick’s Sporting Goods is a primary sponsor and will have plenty of gift certificate giveaways throughout the morning. Other sponsors include the Carter Law Group and the City of Salisbury.
At this race as well, runners and walkers are invited to bring their used running shoes and donate them to Rowan Helping Ministries. The Salisbury Rowan Runners have collected shoes for this purpose for more than 25 years. Other gently worn shoes are acceptable as well. All race proceeds go to Relay for Life.
Look for Bare Bones and other upcoming events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org
