passage

The off-season has treated me well. Very well. I'm on week #4 and I have done..... a lot of nothing. Few swims, fewer bikes, and I got to start running this week. After the crash..... it's been a long time since I have run. Getting back to it, for a few minutes a day has been wonderful.

Yesterday I graduated from weekly chiropractor visits to bi weekly visits. Dr. Les commended me on my remarkable ability to take an off-season, and to allow things to heal.

Things happen for a reason and I truly hope the badness of 2008 is finally behind me. I feel in so many ways like I have climbed this giant mountain. I have climbed over the mountain. While it didn't seem so ginormous at the time, as I look back..... thing was freaking huge.

And I am not the only one who has endured her fair share of S*** this season. I have been thinking a lot about Elaine (Tri Girl Pink) these past few months. I've never met Elaine.... she's one of my creepy Internet friends. I have certainly never met Margret. But I have prayed for her, for them, for their families and for their pain.

The hardest part is to look at the pictures of Margret..... before she became sick. And that wasn't too long ago. Living the triathlon life, loving her new bike. She sounds just like us. Just like you and me smiling with friends and living it up. Setting goals and dreaming dreams.

When you watch people go through something like this..... it makes you look around and reach out for that squeeze, that hug, those words you never wait until it is too late to say. You really begin to forget about the small stuff.

There are a lot of unkind and negative people in this world. Experiences like this remind you that the evil people in this world.....they are as valuable as my trash.

This morning I assembled my bike after we dropped off Curt at the airport. It's snowing. I began to feel grouchy about the snow. Then I stood outside and let the snowflakes fall on my face. I reminded myself that snow is one of the small things.

And we know not to sweat those.

So Elaine, Margret, and to all of you, please know you are not in the hearts and prayers of so many today..... you have been for a long time. You will be forever. In those moments of desperation, those moments when you think help.... help..... help...... please know that in this instance, help is on the way. All you have to do is reach for it. She's around you. She's not in pain anymore. She's free and I know in my heart that she will be there to help you heal.