Running Against the Wind

 At some time in our life we are all running against the wind; we grow weary of things that never seem to change and decide to heave the weight of commitments, deadlines and regrets. Whatever the cause, we hit the ground running and don't have any desire to look back. We are finished with some chapter in our lives and need to feel the winds of change blowing against our face. We are done, and so we run. Is it OK to run away? Sometimes it is.

People run for a host of reasons, from a youthful desire to experience 'freedom' from the constraints of authority to those who simply cannot bear to stand in place any longer. The children will grow up and into adulthood; it is inevitable. For those who just must go, a swift glance confirms that drama is lurking somewhere close by in their lives.

Drama is uncomfortable, signaling a lack of balance; yet some people need to keep it front and center in their lives. The need for drama stems from feelings of being insignificant. Somehow, events have unraveled along the way that allowed this false idea to become a reality to the offender, and the drama begins. It is there to make waves, to disturb the peace of those in the path of the perpetrator, and to force the attention of anyone in 'targeting range' to acknowledge the existence and importance of a person who imagines no one hears them or cares.

Sometimes it is hard to determine who the victim is and who the perpetrator of this destructive force of energy is. The real perpetrator is typically skilled at manipulating events to their benefit, leaving innocent victims wondering what they may have done to cause normal events to turn into dramatic, angry exits. Did you do something to cause such a disruption? Should you run after the person who has chosen to run against the wind? The answer is no, and no.

We experience the need to really run when we are weary, when troubles come or our hearts are burdened; we run from the pain of a life that has begun to define us, and the belief that it will define our tomorrows. There may be a host of adversity about running away, but when you don't see the answer or don't have the courage to save yourself; it can be your salvation.

While restless hearts beat imperfectly, they are filled with wonder; it is a time when not knowing what tomorrow brings is a relief because yesterday's glimpse of eternity was unbearable. The best of part of running is that when we put enough distance between our past and focus on our future, we remember that we have a choice; we see choices that we forgot were available. Suddenly our future is not as dreary as we feared; we realize that different choices drown our fears and give us the courage to rise above what used to be.