Exhilaration

What a great day. If I could stay permanently away from doctors and scanners I’d be a very happy man. Ben Slothower and I took our 89-year-old girlfriend Francis to Sam’s Station for breakfast, then joined Martha Rockey and Tim Eby for a seven mile run out to Bald Hill and back. It was dry and mild—amazing for a mid-January afternoon. Nick and Allie were here when I returned, so the four of us spent rest of the day together, talking and just being close. It’s really good for us to have this peaceful interlude as a family.

I needed the respite after such a hellacious week. The run was a favorite training route I’ve done at least a hundred times before, but today was extra special. It was pure joy to run hard and earn an honest sweat with friends who love running as much as I do. I haven’t finished a run without knee pain since September, and I may have re-aggravated my injury today, but it was worth it. I’d much rather have endorphins coursing through my veins than the radioactive drugs that were injected into them yesterday.

Tonight there is peace on earth. Thank you, Lord, for this moment of grace.