#beach2beacon

Title will jive with the post later, don't you worry, but for now, I will reflect on today's 14th annual Beach 2 Beacon road race in my beautiful hometown of Cape Elizabeth, ME.

I saw skies of blue, and double rainbows, and people I recognized this morning at the road race.  Definitely a different atmosphere than when I was in Squaw Valley, CA. Stretching was forced, spinal twist are anything but gentle, and conversation was extremely time oriented.  As an inwardly competitive person, I struggled to banish the thoughts of running fast, and 'making time'.  Around the 2-3 mile mark, I thought to my untrained runner's mind, "Why the hell am I doing this??!". And believe it or not, I had time to reflect in my 1:00:15 time.  

I ran for the survivors, the ones who I have lost on this Earth looking down on both their, and my, hometown, for my father, who I am so proud to have shared my morning of health and good energy with, for my family who I ride miles and miles of the roller-coaster 'life' with: I ran for them.  It wasn't easy, my legs will tell you that, and I was hurting. But, I've felt hurt from grief far worse, I've only been a witness to the most agressive cancer patients struggles, and family turmoil, is well, just family turmoil.  

So in my '21-year-old-I-can-do-anything' way, I pat myself on the back, because I know the ones I've mentioned above could use prayer, remembrance, massages, kisses, and hugs.  To top off my finish I was surprised to have shook Joni Benoit's hand at the finish line. Which I thought was pretty badass, since in my mind I finished 17th, and also thought it was very cool of hugely successful runner to do so.

Wherever you find compassion: live it fully.  After having been told a childhood story time and time again, I knew my brother Chad at age 2 was a compassionate dude.  A little toddler myself, I succumbed to the 'boys time'.  Chad, and my twin brother Trent wanted to relinquish in the highly acclaimed film, 'Dumbo', by themselves.  Chad introduced me to the Georgia sky, falling with raindrops, and proceeded with their 'time'.  When my aggressively vacuuming Mother noticed my absence, she asked, "Chad, where's Hannah?" He responded honestly, "Outside Mom, it's boy's time....I forgot an umbrella tho." And there you have it: the importance of closeness with his brother, forgetfulness, yet honesty and concern for his still very loved sister.