Let your life speak....



Last Sunday I completed something of a personal milestone -- an 8 mile interval training run. When I say 'interval,' I'm referring to a training technique that involves running/walking at 2:1 minute intervals. It took me 102 minutes and 33 seconds to finish, or 1 hour, 42 minutes and 33 seconds...

This week, my body has not recovered well from the run, and I've found myself caught in an internal argument about whether to continue the training...stop the training...or adjust the training... Because I'm so new to this world of running, I'm not sure what to expect in terms of recovery, but I sense that something is off in my body, and it's possible that I pushed myself past my capacity (for now). It's important that I get this right, because getting it right means that I avoid an injury that would stop my running altogether...and so I'm listening carefully to my body today, training myself to hear and perceive its instructions about my capacity and my limits.

As I've said before, running seems to be a metaphor for just about everything in life, and this situation is not any different. We routinely get into situations that stretch us beyond our capacity, and the trick to avoiding "injury" is recognizing our limits, and respecting them. One of my favorite authors is Parker Palmer, and a favorite quote from his writing is: "Let your life speak."

For the past several days, my body has been speaking to me. My life has also been speaking to me this week...about limits and boundaries, and about making healthy choices in my work and in my relationships. Our lives speak to us in subtle ways...sometimes quiet proddings precede the loud crash of personal crisis...hearing and perceiving what our lives are saying to us requires effort, time, and mental clarity.

Listening to our lives speak can help us do relationships better, to understand our personal callings and vocations...to avoid the personal crises that can sometimes be self-inflicted. It's worth it...the spiritual discipline of listening...but it will require something of us. We may have to stop talking, stop moving...stop doing...and be still.

What is your life saying today?

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