Racing in the Rain

It has been a while since my last post. I have been so busy in the last couple of months I just haven't had the time. I figured now, before the holiday rush really gets started I needed to make an update. Thankfully, my health has continued to hold steady. Over the past six weeks, I have been training for a 5K that I will run on December 8. I was an avid runner before my M.S. diagnosis. Since my diagnosis I have not done any running. In October a friend encouraged me to join her in this 5K and I decided I would see if it was something that I could do again. I have been able to push myself to places I thought were long gone. I have remembered why I loved running so much. I love the feel of just running and not having to think about anything or be responsible for anyone except myself. This is my happy place. I am currently reading "The Art of Racing in The Rain" by Garth Stein. As a dog lover, this book is tugging at my heart strings. The author writes about the life of a dog and his race car driver owner, highlighting their closeness and ability to understand each other. One particular section stuck out to me as I read and re-read it several times. As the owner explains to his dog the art of race car driving in the rain he outlines how a driver must always stay in control of his mind and his vehicle in slippery situations in order to stay on the track. While the driver does not always end up where he hoped to be he is still in control of his vehicle and is able to act in a positive manner. He is still able to create an ending to his story and complete the race. I realized how similar this was to my own life. As long as I stay in a positive frame of mind and in control, I might not end up where I expected but I will compete and complete in my own life. As I was walking in to church this morning I realized that at this time last year I had just found out that my disease was still progressing. I began new treatment at the end of December last year and this past year has been so full of blessings and surprises. So maybe I won't be the fastest runner at the 5K, but two years ago I never imagined that I would be able to run again. I thank God everyday for ALL of my blessings!