Today I felt very good as I ran down a hill into a small valley. I have been running in the middle of the desert and there are a lot of great trails. The trail I was on had a nice steady decline and I was able to rest as I ran. It really was a pleasant feeling to be outdoors and to be unburdened by the trail.
When I got to the bottom of the valley I turned around and started heading back home. To my shock, I discovered just how steep the hill I had been running down actually is. I hadn't particularly noticed it while I was running. I just felt good as I descended. It really didn't seem steep, but now I was laboring to get back to the top of it. I was surprised at how difficult it was to be on the same road that moments before seemed like the perfect trail.
As I reflected on my situation I thought about how similar this is to life. Have you ever met someone on the road that was experiencing similar circumstances which did not seem to be particularly difficult, yet they were struggling. I have and I hate to say it, but I have even sometimes judged these people to be either unfocused or unable to function. I never considered that they may be running up hill. I just thought since they were on the same road as me, they should be able to move forward just as easily as I can.
When I saw myself on this road huffing and puffing to get to the top and armed with a very fresh memory of the same road being so easy just moments before, I became aware of how ironic my situation really was. I was running on the same dirt. Nothing had changed except my direction. This change in direction caused me to have a change in perception as to the difficulty of the road. It even caused my to have to work a little bit harder. I was unable to coast and catch my breath. It was a new challenge.
With this understanding in mind, I feel like I am in a better position to extend help to people I meet along the way. Some will find the road to be less challenging and others will find it to be more challenging. I can inspire and be inspired if I withhold judgment. I can do more good when I seek to lift and encourage then I ever can when I seek to judge or tear down.
See you on the road!
Andrew
