1. Introduction Shortly after the birth of our first child, I took up running. Dan was born with myelomeningocele, a serious spinal cord defect with no cure. Suddenly, our young family faced a situation I never dreamed of. Life often takes unexpected turns. I didn’t play sports in high school; running was not in my wheelhouse. But I needed an escape from the weight of our new life.So, I bought a pair of running shoes and signed up for a 10K, just eight weeks away. A rigorous training regimen would be required to be a finisher. My first run was a disaster. I only made it three blocks before stabbing pains forced me to stop. I’m built more like a Clydesdale than a quarterhorse. But I’m not a quitter, and soon, I completed a one-mile run. By then, the 10K was only 45 days away. As race day approached, I lengthened my runs. Three days before the event, I completed a 5-mile run. Exhausted but exhilarated, I realized I might achieve my objective! On race day, I lined up with hundreds of other competitors in my runner’s singlet, skimpy shorts, and fancy shoes. I felt considerable trepidation. It was hot and humid, and I wasn’t sure I could add 1.2 miles to the longest run of my life. When the starter’s gun went off, I was swallowed up in the crowd. I finished the race in fifty minutes, a respectable 8-minute/mile pace that put me in the middle of the pack. Running was now in my blood. Once I got in shape, I found running to be transcendently peaceful. After an hour, I often entered a zone called the runner’s high. It’s an apt description. Moving along without thought or effort was addicting. Over the next twenty years, I completed several half-marathons and a 25K before my knees ultimately rebelled. Running taught me a valuable lesson. Here’s a synopsis: The Anatomy of Hard Times 1. Shit happens 2. Negative events trap emotional energy inside us. 3. We can’t resist touching our wounds. So we replay predicaments in our minds, all the while wishing things were different. 4. Stress and anxiety build, robbing us of joy. The Solution 1. Find a way to release the pent-up emotional energy trapped inside. 2. Establish a routine that liberates the mind from thought. 3. Let go of the past and future, bringing complete attention to the present moment. 4. Witness the wonderful feeling of being alive. In retrospect, I understand the runner’s high as my first experience of mindfulness. Pain is ubiquitous. Most of us carry it around, hidden from view. The solution resides inside us. This is The Secret Within.
