I was getting ready to go see my old buddy Joe Cole last night. He is the house magician for the Upstream Brewing Co. and entertains every Monday night.
My dear sweet Katie asked me if I would go to the gym and work out with her instead. Sorry Joe, maybe next week. We got on adjoining treadmills and I had my first ever training run with one of my children. It is a run that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.
It was not the first time I had run with my kids though. Son Miles and I ran the Boystown 1 Mile for three years in a row back in the early oughts. He now runs daily (follows that with some work on the heavy bag and then meditates).
And my dear sweet Allison has been a regular runner for the last few years.
To quote the Dali Lama:
“These days, in our materialistic culture, many people are led to believe that money is the ultimate source of happiness. Consequently, when they don’t have enough of it they feel let down. Therefore, it is important to let people know that they have the source of contentment and happiness within themselves, and that it is related to nurturing our natural inner values.”
What a blessing to see that all of my kids have chosen to adopt healthy lifestyles. I didn’t push them towards the decision. What I did do was model for them. A daily work ethic that had not a whit to do with a dime. Valuing the best care of my physical and spiritual essences.
And now me at 55 years old, my kids 16, almost 21 and nearly 19, I’m seeing the dividends. I’m incredibly happy that they have assimilated my ethos and that they will realize benefits for the rest of their lives. What better gift could they possibly give me? How could I ever have a better run than the one with Katie?
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