I Shall Run the Race with Endurance

It is really starting to sink in that I am leaving; in 2 weeks from today, I will have landed in Fiji and will begin my wonderful adventure. I don't cry very often, but when I do it's usually because I'm angry. I've been trying to prepare myself and participate in some self-care that involves getting very emotional in order to process the change that is about to occur. Self-care is so important; but even the realization that my runs are numbered with my running buddy, makes me a little teary eyed.

I had a realization today about training and my future job. The current volunteers say that the Peace Corps is the "hardest job you'll ever love" and to me, that mirrors running. I love to run because it is hard, but you can meditate and overcome the pain. Running as many miles as my buddy and I do, you start to peel away those safety layers during every mile. The more you run, the more you learn about each other because you start to see each other at your absolute worse, but you don't judge the other person for that. Some days it's literally the worst run of your entire life, but those good fuzzy feelings during the fantastic runs make it all worth it. My running buddy has become my best friend simply because, you can't learn that much about someone and not be friends; it reminds me of the troll incident in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

My running buddy and fellow music therapist, Emily Keeling, MT-BC

The next few months are going to be hard and enduring; it will be like training and racing! The volunteers that we are placed with really will become our family because they, unlike anyone else, know exactly what we will be going through. They will see us at our worst and at our best, but they will still choose to like us; we are the only connection that they have over there.

As I spend the last week and a half in the US packing, I'm looking forward to getting to know my new friends and the adventures we will have together. That doesn't mean your old friends will be put on the backboard because without them, you wouldn't be who you are now! I will keep everyone updated, but please note, during training our access to the internet is restricted, so please don't panic if I haven't posted for a while!

Our Sole Sister chrms on our shoes! "Maybe in distance, but never at heart..."

Here's a bible verse I was reminded of today: "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us," Hebrews 12:1 ESV