heartbeat

Today is the first day of winter break!! Now I say winter break, even though technically staff starts their winter break December 15th!!!! However, not having to teach every single day, for me, counts that as winter break!!! A break from teaching, which everyone needs once in a while!!!!!!! It was a very interesting ending to the semester yesterday, which I will leave at that!!! However, interesting as it was there was a part of that day that made me really cherish life and having the health that I do!! Some are not so lucky and would do anything to have that health, either again or for the first time!!! People look confused when I say "no" to getting a ride in a taxi when it's late at night or the night brings darkness and cold!!! It's not that confusing in my mind!! I was blessed with healthy legs, a strong love of being cold (thanks Minnesota), and the love of fresh air (even if it is through the bazaar and barely any fresh air to be had)!!!!!! Point is, even the most simple things that you love to do, you need to do them!! This is what I've found to bring someone true happiness!! If you love to walk/run places then do it!! If you love to ride your bike, then do it!!! The day I can't physically run anymore will be a depressing day, or at least until I find something else to love!!! The stares you get when you run the bazaar with a backpack on in the early parts of the night is trivial!!! Trivial to the people watching you!!! But the people that either crack a wise joke/start to laugh, or look at me weirdly tell me they have no passion to run, otherwise they would completely understand!!! The lightness you feel when you are on your toes like a butterfly on your finger is the best feeling in the world!! The wind breathes through your pores and face, rejuvenating a possibly stressful day or crabby mood!!!! The sounds your shoes make as it runs over puddles, leaves, snow is so calming and soothing!!! The hypnotic rhythm of your breath (once in the zone) is mesmerizing but cleansing!!! The peacefulness you feel out on the open road during the break of dawn is the best way imaginable to start the morning!!! The reflecting thoughts about the day before or the current day, if running at dusk, fill your head sometimes, only to get resolution and calm!!! All of these little bits and pieces of a run make for a magical, joyous passion for life!!! Life is simple when you look at it through the eyes of a child: do what makes you happy and the world will smile back at you!!!! We (adults) complicate life sometimes with too much work and not enough childish moments!!! It was Spirit Week for Senior School at Woodstock, and every day it was so much fun to dress as something ridiculous and fun!! Even if that meant wearing a Saree one of the days!!!! However, not everyone had the same fun thoughts as I did, and I'm not mad at that, but sorry they cannot have that joy out of the simple things in life!!! I've been called immature and childish so many times I've lost count, but you know what, if the price to pay to be called those names is to be happy and excited about making others smile, then please don't stop!!! Call me all the names you want to, because you aren't changing anything!!! Life is too short to be worried about others and their thoughts about you!!! Yes, you obviously care about what loved ones think, but as for the general public who cares!!! At the end of the day, you go home to the ones you love and hopefully love you back!! And that's what makes the day so special!! Because you have those people in your life, that know the true you, and love you for you!!! I know who those people are in my life, which is why I surround myself with them every single day!!!:) Which is why I run, every single day, if not physically then mentally!!! I do it because I want and love to!!! Having an entire day off today really made me, for the first time in a while, appreciate how life is turning out!! We get so caught up in the day to day, that we sometimes forget to take a step back and look at what blessed things we have in life!!! (Now it's time to brag, sorry) I have an amazing, wonderful, beautiful girlfriend!! Close friends that not only make me happy, but enjoy the stupid, goofy things that I do!!! Family/friends back at home, that in 14 days from now, will hopefully get to see a son/brother/friend that hasn't changed except maybe some bigger calf muscles from all the freakin hills around here!!!!;) An Indian family that I've grown so close to this semester!!! And of course the awesome Woodstock students that has to suffer from my teachings day in and day out!!!:) I was reading a book today (shocking), a book entitled heartbeat by Sharon Creech (thanks Jen)!!! And there was one single line out of the entire book that I will never forget!! And it reads:

Run for the pleasure of running.


A sentence so simple, yet in life it can get so hectic that we forget the simple things!!! Don't ever forget the simple things in life, the simple things that can make you so happy, or others around you so happy!!! It's those simple things, that at the end of the day, will leave you smiling and feeling like it was a GREAT day!!!!!! Also, using exclamation points helps too!!!!!!!!;) After yesterday, today is exactly what I needed to appreciate everything I have and hopefully can spread the appreciation to everyone else as well!!!!!!!!!!!! For all of you back in Minnesooooooooooooooooota 14 DAYS BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) Everyone else here at Woodstock, LET THE WINTER BREAK BEGIN IN 12!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy running and HAPPY SMILING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:)

!!!!!!!!!!:):):!)!:):):):):):):):):)::)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:)!:!):):!)!:!)!:!)!:!!)!:!)!:!)!!:!!)!:)