Running is a Way of Life...What Dreams May Come
Monday, November 24, 2008 at 7:27pm
My name is Marcos Redondo. I'm 25 years old. I'm a teacher, and I run. I run because it is my nature. It is the calling of my heart. I run to relieve stress. I run to inspire those around me. I run because it keeps me healthy. I run because it makes me happy. I run to push the physical limits of my body. I run to find the immeasurable depths of the human soul.
There is no finish line. There is no end to the road I travel. There is no glory in what I do. There is only me, and the road. For a long time I've said that the only limitations that exist in our lives are the ones we place on ourselves. Visualization. See yourself fulfilling your goal and there is nothing beyond your reach. We all find ourselves facing those moments where everything seems dire and all hope has faded. Yet it is in those very moments that we must endure. When you are broken and feel like giving up, what will you do? It is easy for us to admit defeat. Accept your limits and turn away from your goals. That is what dreams are after all: a fantastic representation of what idyllic circumstances might bring. I know that for me, personally, I would rather sacrifice everything I might ever be or do in the future to fulfill one dream in the here and now.
Reckless? Possibly. Yet why should I plan my life around the possibilities of what dreams may come? To hell with that. I've spent the last 22 months running as a way of life. I've run less than a mile and had to stop because of pain so sharp it has dropped me to my knees and I've run longer than I ever dreamed was physically possible for myself. I've run through frigid nights where I lost all feeling in my hands and feet and suffered heat so fierce that drenching myself under a bottle of water would evaporate within five minutes. I can honestly say that I cherish each and every one of those experiences. Running gives me the ability to simultaneously release the pressures of worry and doubt while inspiring me to dream of the impossible.
"There's a man Ian never got to know, the man he was growing up to be. He's a good-looking clear-eyed fella... about 25. I can see him. He's the type of guy men want to be around, because he has integrity, you know? He has character. You can't fake that. And he's a guy women want to be around, too. Because there's tenderness in him... respect... and loyalty, and courage. And women respond to that. Makes him a terrific husband, this guy. I see him as a father. That's where he really shines. See, when he looks in his kid's eyes and that kid knows that his dad really, really sees him... he sees who he is. Then that child knows that he is an amazing person. He's quite a guy... that I'll never get to meet. I wish I had."
This quote, spoken by Robin Williams in the movie "What Dreams May Come" is a beautiful representation of what I am trying to get at. Dreams. We all have them. We all have aspirations and goals we want to accomplish in our lives. From the simple to the grandiose, our dreams define us. Ambition. Aspiration. What drives you? Whether it's becoming the CEO of a Fortune 500 company or raising a loving family without the passion to sustain you through the hardships and tribulations that we all inevitably face in achieving our goals we will stumble, and we will fall.
My motto is simple: Become something better than you are. I originally thought of it one night as I was running in August of 2007. Troubled by my past and worried about my future I decided to let it all go. I finally realized that none of the pain or worry was worth a damn. All that existed was the present moment I was living. The here and now. I had to decide how I would experience that single precious moment of my life. Would I squander it worrying about something I had no control over or worse, regretting some decision I had already made? Or would I use it as a foundation upon which I could build a future for myself. Not looking at some final goal but simply using the time I had to make myself a better person in every way I could.
It was that motto which forged itself into the depths of my very soul as I chose to ignore pain, injury and illness to accomplish previously unimaginable feats. For no other reason than to test myself and to force myself into that critical moment. That single instant that repeatedly defines us as individuals: Will you stand or will you fall?
What are your dreams? What will you sacrifice in order to see them fulfilled? Will you surrender if you falter along the way, or will you endure? Will you be happy with yourself even if you fall short of your goals in the end? Will you?
Here is another quote from Robin Williams in What Dreams May Come:
"What some folks call impossible, is just stuff they haven't seen before."
So call me what you will. Label it impossible. Watch me.
My name is Marcos Redondo. I'm 25 years old. I'm a teacher, and I run. I run because it is my nature. It is the calling of my heart. I run to relieve stress. I run to inspire those around me. I run because it keeps me healthy. I run because it makes me happy. I run to push the physical limits of my body. I run to find the immeasurable depths of the human soul.
There is no finish line. There is no end to the road I travel. There is no glory in what I do. There is only me, and the road. For a long time I've said that the only limitations that exist in our lives are the ones we place on ourselves. Visualization. See yourself fulfilling your goal and there is nothing beyond your reach. We all find ourselves facing those moments where everything seems dire and all hope has faded. Yet it is in those very moments that we must endure. When you are broken and feel like giving up, what will you do? It is easy for us to admit defeat. Accept your limits and turn away from your goals. That is what dreams are after all: a fantastic representation of what idyllic circumstances might bring. I know that for me, personally, I would rather sacrifice everything I might ever be or do in the future to fulfill one dream in the here and now.
Reckless? Possibly. Yet why should I plan my life around the possibilities of what dreams may come? To hell with that. I've spent the last 22 months running as a way of life. I've run less than a mile and had to stop because of pain so sharp it has dropped me to my knees and I've run longer than I ever dreamed was physically possible for myself. I've run through frigid nights where I lost all feeling in my hands and feet and suffered heat so fierce that drenching myself under a bottle of water would evaporate within five minutes. I can honestly say that I cherish each and every one of those experiences. Running gives me the ability to simultaneously release the pressures of worry and doubt while inspiring me to dream of the impossible.
"There's a man Ian never got to know, the man he was growing up to be. He's a good-looking clear-eyed fella... about 25. I can see him. He's the type of guy men want to be around, because he has integrity, you know? He has character. You can't fake that. And he's a guy women want to be around, too. Because there's tenderness in him... respect... and loyalty, and courage. And women respond to that. Makes him a terrific husband, this guy. I see him as a father. That's where he really shines. See, when he looks in his kid's eyes and that kid knows that his dad really, really sees him... he sees who he is. Then that child knows that he is an amazing person. He's quite a guy... that I'll never get to meet. I wish I had."
This quote, spoken by Robin Williams in the movie "What Dreams May Come" is a beautiful representation of what I am trying to get at. Dreams. We all have them. We all have aspirations and goals we want to accomplish in our lives. From the simple to the grandiose, our dreams define us. Ambition. Aspiration. What drives you? Whether it's becoming the CEO of a Fortune 500 company or raising a loving family without the passion to sustain you through the hardships and tribulations that we all inevitably face in achieving our goals we will stumble, and we will fall.
My motto is simple: Become something better than you are. I originally thought of it one night as I was running in August of 2007. Troubled by my past and worried about my future I decided to let it all go. I finally realized that none of the pain or worry was worth a damn. All that existed was the present moment I was living. The here and now. I had to decide how I would experience that single precious moment of my life. Would I squander it worrying about something I had no control over or worse, regretting some decision I had already made? Or would I use it as a foundation upon which I could build a future for myself. Not looking at some final goal but simply using the time I had to make myself a better person in every way I could.
It was that motto which forged itself into the depths of my very soul as I chose to ignore pain, injury and illness to accomplish previously unimaginable feats. For no other reason than to test myself and to force myself into that critical moment. That single instant that repeatedly defines us as individuals: Will you stand or will you fall?
What are your dreams? What will you sacrifice in order to see them fulfilled? Will you surrender if you falter along the way, or will you endure? Will you be happy with yourself even if you fall short of your goals in the end? Will you?
Here is another quote from Robin Williams in What Dreams May Come:
"What some folks call impossible, is just stuff they haven't seen before."
So call me what you will. Label it impossible. Watch me.
posted by Marcos Redondo - Running For Hope at
11:01 AM
1 Comments:
Nothing is sacrificed when you pursue your dreams ... except an unrequited devotion to the status quo. For me it has been the difference between living a life of unrecognized remorse and, put most simply, being who I am, unfettered by the cloak of others' expectations imposing a false identity upon me. Now I have the opportunity to see the transformation of a dear friend as she discovers herself and shares of herself in a way that inspires and enlightens me, which I would like to share with you. http://adifferentwayoflookingatthings.blogspot.com/
Keep on keeping on, dear soul.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home