Enduring Beauty

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  “Beauty is the quality which makes to endure. In a house that I know, I have noticed a block of spermaceti lying about closets and mantel-pieces, for twenty years together, simply because the tallow-man gave it the form of a rabbit; and, I suppose, it may continue to be lugged about unchanged for a century. Let an artist scrawl a few lines or figures on the back of a letter, and that scrap of paper is rescued from danger, is put in portfolio, is framed and glazed, and, in proportion to the beauty of the lines drawn, will be kept for centuries. Burns writes a copy of verses, and sends them to a newspaper, and the human race take charge of them that they shall not perish.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson. (1803–1882).   Essays and English Traits.

Done

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Was looking forward to a run outside today in the fresh air. Saw it was overcast, but was not going to let that stop me. As I stepped out to run an errand with my darling bride, it started drizzling.

Ok.

Though not wild about going to the gym, I silently prepared myself for an inside workout when I returned from our errand.

We were on the way home (about mid afternoon) when we saw him.

The sky: still overcast, grey. If it was a few degrees colder, it would be snowing.

But there he was, trudging along the road.

If I had to guess I'd say he's in his mid 70's. Tall. Slow. Many could walk faster than he runs, but there he was. Step. Step. Step. Step. Step. Running. In the drizzle. In the cold.

If he could do it, I can do it.

So I did.

I got home, changed clothes, bundled up, cranked up the MP3 player, started my stopwatch and put one foot in front of the other. 50 minutes and 4.53 miles later, I lay down gasping in the backyard on the cold, wet grass. Done.

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