A good friend is doing something big this week.

To honor their privacy I can’t reveal the specifics but my friend is taking a long-awaited, positive risk. A risk they have thought about and talked about for a long, long time.

My good friend is nervous. And rightly so. They’re a little older now. A veteran. They have responsibilities. And failure would hurt.

What if I look foolish? What if they laugh at me? What if I fail?

I’m sure you can sympathize. Talking to my friend–they bite their bottom lip. Their shoulders stand tight. They’re squeezed in a vice of fear and joy. They want to succeed so badly yet are terribly afraid of failure.

I started running again and people often ask, “How far did you run?”

Since my life with cerebellar degeneration began 6 years ago, I’ve learned–it’s no longer a matter of distance. It’s a matter of doing.

A matter of not worrying about how far you ran but embracing the human art of literal running.

If I begin to even think about distance I’m overwhelmed. I begin to hate running. My strides become uneven. I become wobbly. And I feel–and may even look– like a child who has never run before and I convince myself to stop running.

However when I don’t worry about distance and only worry about running– my strides are strong. My pace is even. And I feel–and may even look–like a seasoned runner who could run for days.

Remove the runner and the verb of running is just simply having the courage, resilience, and patience to follow one stride with another.

But we, the runners, are in love with the finish line.

In love with the image of us breaking the tape– with our ankles ringed with sweat socks, our arms raised in victory, and the warm flash of accomplishment on our face and in our heart.

However let’s not forget how we get from the starting line to the finish line–one step following another.

My friend wants to win this week. They’ve been grinding and toiling and deserves to win. And I want them to win.

Yet I need to remind my friend to not worry about the distance. About how much further they have to go. I need to remind them to take this week slow, step by step, stride by stride until they have crossed their finish line.

I hope you have a great week and whatever you’re doing this week–let’s promise each other to take it one step at a time.

Be well,

Jay

PS (Please Share) – If you know someone who needs to be reminded to take this week one step at a time–please share this post share with them.

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