If you can't fly, run; if you can't run, walk; if you can't walk, crawl; but by all means keep moving.
---Martin Luther King, Jr.
Four years ago I featured a quote by noted ultramarathon runner Dean Karnazes that's very close to the above one made many years earlier by the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. Karnazes made his application very literal, about his gritty perseverance under the often brutal conditions on the running trail. King's quote has a broader meaning to how one should approach life. For me, both literal and figurative interpretations apply. I intend to return soon to running long-distance races of the 15K and half-marathon variety...for me the overriding goal is to simply cover the distances, hopefully through running but also walking some if that's necessary to finish them. With life in general, progress isn't usually linear but instead full of snags and setbacks...often I have to press the reset button and start anew when things go awry. Giving up isn't an option, but changing my mind as to what I will emphasize and how I will attain it is...even it involves "crawling" for a season. Life by its nature is growth and motion...I never want to forget that. I also won't forget the example Martin Luther King, Jr set for his compassion, courage and wisdom as he sought justice for the oppressed and disadvantaged and inspired so many to follow in his footsteps of "creative altruism" as he called it...
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