Marathon Miracles

This morning on my way into work at This Is The Place, I decided to take Foothill Drive, even though I knew the Deseret News Marathon was to be right on it. The traffic wasn't bad at all. In fact, I am glad I braved the thought of there being traffic because my eyes were opened to something new. It may have been the hormones raging through my body, but seeing these men and women running, sweat beads trickling down there red faces, made my eyes swell with tears. They were approaching mile 20, only 6.2 more to go. I noticed many of them are at least twice my age. I was inspired. I was moved by their strength-both physical and mental. As I drove the next mile, I realized no one was there to cheer them on. Many of them had looks on their faces that made it seem as though they were questioning if they could finish. I wanted to roll down my air conditioned car window and yell out to them, "YOU CAN DO IT!" I did. I honked my horn, I turned up some tunes on the iPod, and I cheered them on. I received smile after smile. Eventually, the streets became lined with crowds. Many families holding signs and blowing whistles and clapping.

I saw an elderly man running (not this one, but one who looked very similar). This is the point my tears  really began to fall. How could my life be so selfish, so lazy, so lackadaisical that I haven't notice the incredible tender mercies of the Lord? This is a man who appreciates the incredible body he has be given. This is a man who loves his life, and he wants to live it to its fullest potential. This is a man who loves God and shows it by enjoying the miracles of everyday life. I want to be more like this man. I want to show my Heavenly Father that I do love Him and ALL that he has created.

And now, I think of all I want for my son. I think of the things I wish for him to accomplish. I think of how I hope he is healthy and grows up to be a strong man like this man. I hope he is brave and stands for what he believes, whatever that may end up being one day. I pray that he knows God loves him more than he can understand. (I plan on writing a letter to Noah with all the wishes I have for him, but I'll post that at a later time.)

Life is precious. We cannot take any second for granted.