Sunday, June 5, 2016

Seeing Life Better

I have been running fairly consistently for about nineteen years now.  One thing I have observed while running is how scenery looks different when you run by it as opposed to driving by it. 

For example, the other day while running on Deerfoot Parkway I became aware of several items along the road.  First of all, there were things I didn't necessarily want to see.  The shoulder of the road was littered with all sorts of soft drink cans, beer bottles, liquor bottles and candy wrappers.  I even saw the remains of a dead possum (which apparently had been dead for quite some time).  I'm not quite sure why some motorists treat the side of the road like a garbage can.  Yet, the possum didn't have a choice for its untimely demise.

On the other hand, I was able to notice some more noble items as I trudged down the road.  For example, I observed the wonder of the many trees and shrubs which lined the parkway, all with various shapes and sizes, diverse leaf patterns and indescribable beauty.  Even the manmade items had a sense of wonder, e.g. the precision at which the road had been constructed, the lines along the parkway, and the tons of gravel which had been placed on the shoulder, things which I take for granted but had a unique glory as I jogged on by.

Hence, what is the lesson for all this?  Basically, when you have to slow down in life, you gain a new perspective on your surroundings.  Some things appear more evil (such as the trash on the road) but other items become more beautiful as you are able to focus on the intricacies of their creation.  Hence, slowing down (such can occur with major illness) can provide unique perspectives that could have easily been missed in the hustle and bustle of life.