Thursday, May 21, 2009

Thinking is a Dangerous Sport

I'm thinking about thinking. I know, a deep subject. But, not to fear, I don't have that kind of energy tonight. I have had the evening to myself and all night I kept thinking, what should I be thinking about?

My evening started with a run. Podding along was more like it. There are times when running feels fantastic. Tonight was not one of them. I'm trying to get off some recently gained weight and every step felt - wrong and frankly it hurt. I think a new machine at the club is doing a number on my hamstrings and gluts.

I like to think when I jog so I plotted my course and turn around point, checked the time and took off. What did I think about? Too much thought was processing the work day, resolving situations and making to do lists. I should think about writing. People came to mind for prayer. A friend just diagnosed with cancer, another getting married soon, my brother. I should think about developing that character. But it seems so easy not to think about all that writing stuff.

I passed one of my distance markers, Why is my time off with my distance? Realization hit with a breathless gasp. I set the wrong turn around point and ran a mile farther than I wanted and I was still a mile from home! I was NOT pleased. By then I'm really sore. Something is just weird and more than my hamstrings were aggravated. Ok, there is only one way home. I gotta do this. Think about something and take your mind off running. Think about what? I'm hot, tired, in pain. Think about. . . plot. Is my right foot tingling? I can't think about anything but surviving.

I made it home. I survived!

Now, I'm trying to find something of value out of all that torture. And I'm thinking. My thoughts are mine right? Or is that really what I want - my thoughts? Verses jump to mind. Set your mind on things above. Take every thought captive. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. How can I make my thoughts more valuable? More productive? More intentional? More creative? More INSPIRED!

Ah, that's what I want. Inspiration.
The easy path instead of the long, torturous, only-one-way-to-get-there run.

I set out tonight with a goal. It was way harder to reach than I wanted it to be. Truthfully, I still have pain shooting up the back of my right leg. The course was farther than I planned and once committed, there was no turning back to make it easier. I'm thinking I didn't really want a life lesson tonight. But thinking got me one.

Now I'm thinking about validation and confirmation. Like hoping that tomorrow will bring a lower number on the scale. Hey, all that agony should produce some positive results. That's only fair! When we set a goal, confirmation is a reasonable expectation isn't it? I think so.

How does a person maximize thoughts? I would love to maximize observation, understanding, creativity, INSPIRATION. I think I need to study thinking verses. I bet there's more to it. After all, our thoughts are not His thoughts.

2 comments:

Tami said...

Inspiration. The easy path instead of the long, torturous, only-one-way-to-get-there run.Yep. If only it were easy. I've had some agonizing "runs" myself lately. Nothing good comes. I can't make sense of my jumbled thoughts. But giving it a shot is success. You never know when sitting that butt in the chair will produce something you like.

What is that quote? "Writing is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration." Ugh.

Brenda said...

Our thoughts. If we can just captivate those it could take care of so many of our problems.