.....inspiration.........

what lies before us and what lies behind us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us........

This week mine and Nicole's word is inspiration......  WOW!  such a powerful word!!!  So this week I have really put some serious thought into just what inspires me.....  and the answer was pretty simple....  it is PEOPLE!!!  Not in the way that you might think though...  I am not one who is impressed by WHAT people are....  could really care less....  we are all the same in God's eyes... and that is a fact!!!  What impresses me.... inspires me.... is what people are capable of in the face of tragedy....  in the midst of devastation!!!  What people are capable of when they put all doubt aside and BELIEVE that they can do ANYTHING!!!!  And I had never really been touched... inspired if you will...  by the true power of desire.... determination.... commitment.... until I started running races!!  My very first race was two years ago....  a half marathon....  what was I thinking!!??  About 3 miles into this race I came up behind a guy running with a prosthetic leg.... a "blade runner"....  and for the next three miles I continued to run behind him....  thinking back on how hard it had been for me to force myself out of the door to train for the race.... with two perfectly good legs....  I was humbled by him....  I was inspired by him!!!  And every race since I have seen people like him....  and people like me....  each one of us running.... swimming.... biking....  to cross that finish line....  not because we will win....  SERIOUSLY!!!  there are literally thousands of runner's in these races.... and only ONE can WIN....  but we all keep running....  and we all cross that same finish line!!!   And I am continually inspired by the smiling faces....  the tears....  the hands thrown in the air giving thanks to God above.... the glow of accomplishment...  that I see at the finish line of EVERY race!!!  And THAT is why I run when it is 100 degrees....  THAT is why I run when it is freezing.... THAT is why I run when I don't feel like running!!!  And when you ask me WHY  I run??  I will tell you...  I run because I CAN!!!  And I am soooo deeply inspired by those who have been told that they "can't"....  because of a disability...  because they are too slow... because they are overweight... because they are too old... BUT they still hit the road day after day...  believing in themselves when no one else believes in them!!  Knowing that they have what it takes to accomplish their dreams!!!  Doing the "impossible"!!!  Those people are my inspiration!!!!    Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week!!!