Rejoicing in Running

Dear Mother Earth, who day by day,
unfoldest blessings on her way
Alleluia, alleluia

Running is my prayer: a night run, and the raw beauty and simplicity of Patty Griffin singing All Creatures of Our God and King led me to focus on this. Running is my prayer: my recognition that God is alive in this world. It is my grateful response to the abundant blessings of this life. Each foot strike is my Alleluia.

Listening tonight to this song, I was drawn to a quiet moment of reflection. I thought about my run last night. It was dark when I left so once again, the headlamp was guiding my way. I was with a friend on my favorite 5 mile hilly route that curves and winds near mansions, golf courses, and forests. Of course we couldn’t see any of it. A little beam of light doesn’t do much for illuminating beautiful vistas. Nevertheless, it was perfect. Good conversation interrupted by some gasping for breath at the top of the hills, exuberance upon accomplishing them, then right back to the good conversation. In darkness it was a new way of “seeing” and experiencing this favorite route. Then in the light we caught two deer crossing the street in front of us elevating the evening to something beyond a training run Deer, some of my favorite creatures with their size, their quietness and their elegant movements, are common in my neighborhood. But I don’t see them everyday. A possible deer sighting is a reason for me to run, and they never fail to surprise and delight me.

Thou rising moon, in praise rejoice
Ye lights of evening find a voice
Alleluia, alleluia

Trying to fit my run in yesterday was nearly impossible. A 14.5 hour work day left me with only a 2 hour break to run, shower and eat my dinner before getting to the next meeting. It would have been the easier thing to skip it. If I were only training, I might have done that.

But running is my prayer.

Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
Praise God and on him cast your care,
Alleluia, alleluia

There are days, like yesterday, where running saves me. It takes my tired bad mood and transforms it into energy and peacefulness. It reminds me that our routines are really never routine. There are surprises and moments of delight waiting in the darkness. It allows me to celebrate and be thankful for what my body can do: find energy through physical exertion, make it up a hill, stay warm in the cold, see moonlight and deer walking, hear the wind, smell the dampness of melting snow, and feel myself growing stronger and faster. It allows me to say, with the action of movement, thank you. I still have much to learn. I still don’t know where I am being called to or led, but I am willing to discover. I am willing to embrace the mystery, to push myself, and to be open to where the light will lead. Thank you for this great journey. Thank you for filling it with unimaginable beauty. Thank you. Alleluia, Amen.

Let all things their Creator bless,

And worship Him in humbleness,
Alleluia.

To hear Patty Griffin singing this song before her album Downtown Church comes out on Jan. 26th copy and paste the site below:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122500765&ps=bb2