How are you?
Such an innocent question and 99% of the world answers in some version of “fine”. Yes, those of you who have asked me that question know my response is some variation of “slow, fat, and ugly – but consistent”, and that’s usually matched with a smile. The smile is the telltale sign of how I really am, and I am sure you know this.
In this season of Thanksgiving, I would be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to remind myself of all the things that make me smile and appreciate being slow, fat, and ugly. No, I am not as fast as I want to be, nor as thin; and I suspect I never will be. That’s a situation I am constantly fighting, with varying degrees of success, but the smile is the consistency. I just don’t’ have that much to complain about, and where I do whine is far out shadowed by the things that make me so thankful for the life that we enjoy.
We live in a country where we’re free to assemble on a Sunday morning in a beautiful park; we run, bike, swim, laugh, and eat together till we’re too tired to drive home- and then make plans to do it again the following week. We don’t worry about our or our family’s safety, about snipers in the trees, or about other horrible things that we might consider “unthinkable” in this country that are realities in other parts of the world. We take that comfort and security for granted far too much, and we’re not nearly as cognizant of the sacrifices from our military and their families ensuring that safety and comfort. Without the quality and commitment of our Armed Forces, nothing in our lives would be the same. For those men and women in uniform, I am truly thankful. Ooh-rah.
I also wouldn’t want to know life without the gifts of family and friends. More than one bad country song has confirmed what we all know in our hearts – that if everything just fell apart one day, we know we can count on our family and friends to be the backbone of whatever it takes to put it all back together. The “stuff” is irrelevant, the people matter. I am so lucky to have a family that loves me, even when I don’t deserve it; and friends that tolerate me even when I can’t tolerate myself. You are the people that put (and keep) the smile on my face, regardless of the situations swirling around us. If you’re reading this, put yourself in one of the above categories, and thanks for being there. I look forward to our time together at an HFP event far more than I should, and it’s only because I just can’t get enough of the experience. Faith, family, and friends – more than just a slogan on a hat, and more than I can truly express how thankful I am to have in my life.
There isn’t enough space here to point out every little thing that we could and should be thankful for – it really is an amazing list. So in this season of Thanksgiving, take a moment to look at your own situation and ask yourself “How are you?” It didn’t take a lot of thought for me to smile and realize that I really am some variation of slow, fat, and ugly – and I am very thankful for it.
Enjoy your holiday, hug your loved ones, and be safe.
See you on race day!
Rich
