“Spring” the Bubbling Source of Water
When I thought of the word “spring” it was initially the season and the metal spring that came to mind (see parts 1 and 2 of “A Spring in Your Step”). It later dawned on me that there is another meaning of the word: a natural source of water coming from the earth. And once I thought of that I was thinking: “Great, how do I fit that in with running?” The obvious thought I had was something to do with hydration (yes, most of my thoughts immediately relate to running…don’t yours?).
And then I realized that a spring of water relates directly to the notions of transition I’ve written about in parts 1 and 2.
The water in a spring changes from being deep in the earth to being on the surface of the ground. From unseen to seen. From abstract to real.
We often have specific goals in running, of course, which may range from learning to run to racing an ultra-marathon. It doesn’t matter what the goal is – the seed of a thought is planted for whatever reason. If there is more than a passing interest in the objective, a plan is devised on how to achieve it.
As it turns out, we often need to reach deep within ourselves, to trust ourselves, and to stay true to the course of training before we reach the goal. The water knows how to get where it wants to go, and it pushes around rocks, tree roots and other obstacles to get to the surface. Don’t tell me there is not an allusion to running in that thought!
Just as the water can reach the surface, your goal can also transition from an inner thought to the reality of achieving it given the time and energy you need. And the same is true in life.
Pushing through hardship, doubt, or whatever challenge we face can often be overcome. We have inner strength (usually more than we admit) that we can harvest as one aid in getting back to our old happier selves, or to transform ourselves into something new and better.
Flow like the water and your goals will change from mere thoughts to concrete achievements. And there may be medal to prove it.
Run Your Happy!
In the next very short post, we’ll bring A Spring in Your Step, parts 1, 2 and 3 together.