no gladiators or galoshes for me today! my first whole day in vermont was, instead, a carefree and relaxed barefoot day. it is very unusual for me to not have things to do, places to go, and people to see, and i think God knew that i needed some time like this just so i could be in rest and be me.
i DID, however, unknowingly conquer a fear. this is the fear of running outside where people can see me. you see, i'm not exactly the cutest when i run. my face gets all red and my breathing gets really loud...and the embarrassing part is that i run slowly so my red face and hard breathing hardly seem earned :) however, when i woke up this morning i didn't think twice about putting on my running shoes and jogging down main street, cutting through people, grinning a good morning, one person even asked me for the time! my final destination: the food co-op.
i didn't think twice about being all hot and sweaty...i just felt like an appropriate fit amidst the organic foods. the unaware observer would assume that i am both athletic and a healthy eater...we're working on the validity of that assumption :) although i did panic as i stood in the check-out line - it's a food co-op, everyone else was carrying their eco-friendly tote bags. i didn't have one. picture this: newbie food co-oper jen hiking up main street carrying individual plastic bags of produce, 1 lonely avocado, 2 granola bars and an odwalla. yeah, quite the sight. i think i breathed an audible sigh of relief when the man started to bag my groceries (in a plain paper bag, of course, which i am greenly using as my garbage can to make up for my lack of a personal grocery tote).
all this to tell you that it wasn't until a few hours later, when i was talking with my roommate about my running plan (because she has the same one from the same magazine!) and i casually mentioned that my run today was down main street that she said, "oh so you're one of those confident runners who doesn't care who sees you when you run". it caught me so off guard i didn't know what to say - because i guess that, now, i am! goodbye, irrational fear of people judging me while i [try to] run and helllloooooo confident running!
Jen! You are an incredible writer! You words are aluring and I feel like I'm reading a novel of someones life:) I can't wait for your next posting!!!
ReplyDeleteI love and miss you, Jeneveeve.
Jess P.
Hi Jen,
ReplyDeleteI just have to write to tell you how much i enjoyed reading of your adventures and heart. what a great writer you are. Your enthusiasm, willingness to make the most of the opportunities in front of you, and your ability to share them with the rest of us is wonderful. As a mom, i am excitd to point my own 15 yr old daughter to follow your blogs, seeing that you have an adventurous spirit, and knowing you have a Godly heart, seeking out god's wisdom an ongoing direction in all those open doors!
I got to spend time with your wonderful grandpa and grandma last night in Sioux Falls (something I often did many years ago when I was in college). In fact we stayed up til MN talking! Then they got up before 6 am to make me breakfast!! Aren't they wonderful! They directed me to your blog and told me how wonderfully you shared your stories. That is how i got connected with you. I look forward to hearing of your ongoing opportunities and how you make the most of them. You never know who's life you are affecting!!
thanks for taking the time to write about your life's lessons and learnings!
Wanda (your mom's cousing from Lake Norden)
Guess we're made from the same gene pool! HA. I turn red too. Well, a shade of purple, really. And my lungs seem to collapse. I think I remember a field day or something when you had to run at Calvin... is that possible? Anyways, yeah, I feel your embarassment. That's why I've stuck with Zumba. LOL. Good for you - way to put yourself out there.
ReplyDeletexoxo
~Katie