Give and share your time without any expectation. This is hard as we humans have an ego which craves for validation and recognition, as well as often,  we want something in return. Today, in my city there was a marathon and a half marathon. I was down to do the marathon but had to withdraw due to an injury. My German Shepherd and I armed with a placard to cheer all the runners positioned ourselves in the middle of the road from 9.30a.m. till 2pm. The weather was sunny and the atmosphere was uplifting.

Clapping for the runners who were all running for their own special reasons was not only good for the soul but it was also good exercise, as there was an energy that flowed from the action of clapping, and shouting well done to all the runners. I  saw many smiles on the faces of the runners, some were grateful and some shouted out that I had a beautiful dog.  There was a beautiful connection with perfect strangers but our paths were destined to cross just for this occasion. 

I know as a marathon runner and a half marathon runner myself, running a long distance is no mean feat so I have the utmost respect for all those runners. It takes months of hard training and preparation to turn up, and a strong mindset as well as body to pull it off.   It takes 26.2 miles of sheer determination to cross the finishing line but I know  you need the crowd to spur you on. Sometimes one positive comment can be the dealmaker between giving up or continuing to finish the race. 

We managed to applaud the runners at miles 11 and miles 24 I know for some how trying this section can be. Reaching the mid point and doing the final stretch brings many emotions, and sometimes the body is so tired but only the will power keeps you running. It is magnificent to watch and feel this power. There is a fine line between pushing on and giving up when the body is in pain. 

Standing there with my dog who patiently stayed almost in the same place for 6 hours, I realised a few things that made me feel grateful.

  1. I live in a free country and I can go outside without any difficulty and shout at the top of my lungs. I feel grateful for that freedom. Some cannot do this.
  2. There is a magnetic energy in our voice, our posture, and our smile that causes complete strangers to smile back at us.  I am grateful for these magical moments of connection.
  3. My dog is truly good looking and well behaved, and just seeing his majestic presence made many, I suspect who are dog lovers, shout out ‘what a beautiful dog’. I count my blessings even more since my dog came into my world.
  4. The two of us just shared our time, presence, voice and smile to encourage the runners and applaud them, all of which was free.  He barked at some points but it gave runners a much needed distraction to look at us and smile back!
  5. I did something good and I am glad because each time I have done a long race one smile or one comment has done the trick, and has helped me take the next step. I hope we managed to help some people on their journey today to complete their challenge.  

Life is about giving and sharing our love without expecting anything in return but we get so much back.  The power of giving and sharing is truly great for the giver and the recipient. Sports brings out the best in people. It brings to life leadership, determination and a generous community spirit of togetherness which uplifts everyone. It is hard not to be touched by this.

Peace be with you.

©DMP

14th May 2023