I Have To, I Don’t Want To, But I Am Going To
How many times might have I told myself that while training for the Ironman? How many times have I told myself that when it came to waking up in order to get to my job? Is anything worth having in life, worth suffering for? If I don’t suffer throughout my training or work through the difficult times at work, would it be possible to complete the race or to raise a happy family in a nice home? I am hoping in a few years I can answer this question with a resounding yes.
Suffering is tough work. It is draining and can be all consuming. I am suffering now, but so far I have been able to manage it. I think god intended these moments so that you know you are alive. If you neither felt intense pleasure or pain would your life just be mundane? Maybe it is Darwin’s “survival of the fittest”; a modern day version of weeding out the weak. Am I strong enough to adapt to my environment and make the changes necessary for survival?
I have pointed out to others that I know for sure I am alive during the hours I am suffering in an Ironman event. If you quit during an Ironman is that not some form of suicide? I have done 3 Ironman events so far and while I have done them, not once did I give serious consideration to stopping until I finished. Perhaps I just need to look at my life as one long Ironman event that I will cherish dearly once I cross the finish line.
Suffering is tough work. It is draining and can be all consuming. I am suffering now, but so far I have been able to manage it. I think god intended these moments so that you know you are alive. If you neither felt intense pleasure or pain would your life just be mundane? Maybe it is Darwin’s “survival of the fittest”; a modern day version of weeding out the weak. Am I strong enough to adapt to my environment and make the changes necessary for survival?
I have pointed out to others that I know for sure I am alive during the hours I am suffering in an Ironman event. If you quit during an Ironman is that not some form of suicide? I have done 3 Ironman events so far and while I have done them, not once did I give serious consideration to stopping until I finished. Perhaps I just need to look at my life as one long Ironman event that I will cherish dearly once I cross the finish line.
posted by Rebel at 10:45 PM
1 Comments:
Or, as Samuel Beckett, that great enigmatic Irish writer said:
"I can't go on, I must go on."
Therein lies the all the tension and conflict of our human experience. As I said before, it's important and necessessary (though horribly painful) to be grappling with these issues now and again. I believe times of intense conflict indicate that we're living an active and engaged life.
One thing you should remember in your darkest moments: you have people in your life that honestly love you for who you are, no matter what happens. That's the treasure we're all searching for, and you've found it.
Are you riding Saturday? : )
Post a Comment
<< Home