I was thinking about all of the reasons that I run... there are many, and over the next few months, I will likely take some time to reflect on many of them with you. But today I was thinking about how I first got into running. I remember my very first run. It was the summer before I decided to join the cross-country team at Weatherly High School. I was camping at Ricketts Glen with my best-friend's family, and her older brother, James was already on the cross country team. He suggested that we go running there in the state park, and I enthusiastically agreed. I was enthusiastic for about the first 30 feet until I realized how much work it was going to be. I will never forget at about the 1/4 mark, I said, "James, I feel like I'm going to be sick." He said, "Good. That means you're working hard." I answered, "What if I actually do get sick.", and he responded "Even better!".
I've come a long way since that first run, and actually stuck with it and proceeded to run four years of high school cross-country. I'm pretty sure that running with that team helped to get me through high school. I was a pretty shy kid, and dealt with the typical adolescent insecurities. Running helped me develop awesome friendships (more about this in some future posts), and gave me confidence and built my self-esteem. At graduation, our class chose songs for each student that represented something about them... the song my peers chose for me went, "Ready, ready, ready... ready to Run!"
The meaning that running has had for me throughout high school and now into my young adult years adds extra meaning to the cause I am now running for. While running helped me through those awkward adolescent years, I am reminded that the concerns and fears I faced are nothing compared to the concerns and fears of the children in Zimbabwe. While I was worried about what the kids in homeroom would think of my new outfit, the children there are worried about what the kids at school will think if they find out their Mom is HIV positive. When I was worried that I might not be able to go to the amusement park with my friends because we couldn't afford it, these children are thinking about whether or not they will have something available to eat for dinner.
I have been running now for 13 years... some of these children will not live to see 13 years, and for those that do, it is going to take more than a silly hobby to get them through the trauma and tragedy they see in their communities each day. This is why I am running now... not for myself... but for my friends. Because I have hope that through the local church in Zimbabwe, these children who are orphaned by AIDS, will find the emotional, spiritual and physical support that they need to carry on, care for their siblings, and give back to their own communities as they grow and learn. Please be sure to view the side bar of this page to see how you can support these efforts. Visit www.ForgottenVoices.org to learn more about the organization that is working through local pastors in Zimbabwe and Zambia to help meet the needs of vulnerable children. Thanks for reading and getting involved!
The picture at the top is with some of my best high school cross-country buds... here below is my friend, Sammy.
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