what lies before me
When I run, I break everything into thirds. If I am planning to go six miles, I focus only on the first two. Once I have made it that far, I focus on the next two. I know that once I cover those, I will be two-thirds of the way to my destination, I will have already gone twice as far as I have left to go, and then the last two seem easy.
On days when I struggle, I split just the segment of path directly before me into thirds. If I make it to that first tree, then I can make it to the next one, and then the distance to the last tree will feel like nothing. I have covered more miles than I ever thought possible by breaking them into thirds.
And if my life ends up covering a fairly standard number of years,
I am now in my middle third.
The first third was a bit of a struggle, there was so much to learn, to figure out, so many mistakes to make that caused sore muscles, injuries, time waiting to repair. Sometimes I just wanted to stop. Sit down. Give up. I hadn’t learned discipline. Or tenacity. Or patience. I hadn’t settled in for the long haul.
I am past that phase now, and glad of it. I am warmed up, I have my stride, there is a rhythm to my days and I move along at an even pace most of the time. I am on the straightaway and can take time to gaze around me. I am no longer worried about whether I can make it. I’m moving close to the halfway point.
And as I move on, further down this path, this path we call life
that we live and breathe and burn through so quickly, I wonder if the last third will be the easiest one, not downhill because that hurts my knees worse than anything, but leisurely, graceful, steady. The one where I feel that I could go on forever.
Well, okay, maybe not quite forever.
But at least just to that next tree.
July 2nd, 2010 at 9:36 am
beautifully said – a wonderful method. the idea of being on the straightaway feels calming, like i can catch a breath. of course, i am farther along than you and breathing harder, need that breath a bit more. perhaps i’ll just jog a bit for a while, maybe walk it. as long as i keep moving forward, keep my eye on that tree, well, that will be okay. right? 🙂
July 2nd, 2010 at 10:41 am
I think I’d prefer to think of me still being in the first third! 😉
July 2nd, 2010 at 4:08 pm
and here i encounter “middles” again. been pondering that of late, and of course with the law of attraction being what it is and all, i see “middles” seldom do i see middles referred to so poetically and enticingly, though.
July 2nd, 2010 at 11:26 pm
What a beautiful post, I love the concept of breaking things into thirds. I might just have to give that a try.
July 2nd, 2010 at 11:57 pm
Yep, I do the same thing! Everything seems easier broken down. If I want to diet, I concentrate on today only, the next day on that day and so on until I reach my goal. 🙂 You have such a way of putting my thoughts into words. lol
July 3rd, 2010 at 8:12 am
I love how you use the Rule of Thirds. I am going to do this. It seems like something totally suited to me. Thank you.
I can’t run anymore and never thought I’d miss it as much as I do.
July 3rd, 2010 at 2:39 pm
isn’t running a great metaphor for life? the more i run, the more i realize that it’s hard work, like life. but rewarding, like life’s experiences as well!
July 3rd, 2010 at 8:46 pm
your thirds are what i call my baby steps, with a few gigantic leaps forward and a few falls along the way….and a caught shoelace way too many times 🙂
but it made me think about that when i walk, that it’s always based on what songs are on my ipod….speed/tempo etc…..and if two slow songs come on in a row, it’s a sign that i’m done for the morning 🙂
did you know that in photography there is the rule of thirds, too….
July 4th, 2010 at 8:46 am
I love this way of looking at life. I’m in the middle, but nearing the last…of course, it all depends on how far i end up going, and who knows what that will be…