Homeward Bound.
While out running and walking I so often feel at one with nature. Unlike my son and daughter I never take an mp3 player with me while running, not only because I like to be aware of the traffic and other possible dangers, I prefer to hear the sounds of birds and animals, and the moments of silence.
Recently my clash with nature has not always been a looked forward to experience. About half a mile from where I live, just before I leave the village behind and head out to the countryside, I have been having a frightening two or three hundred yards. Sitting on the rooftops there are two seagulls, almost as if sitting in wait. As I run past they give me a number of lowing flying attacks. Sometimes they Passover my head within inches of me, screaming as they do so. I mean them no harm, not that they know it, but it just all seems like a terrible waste of energy on their part.
I was considering this meaningless gesture when I saw a dog feverishly chasing its tail, round and round. This reminded me of the dog that lived in one of the previous places I lived. It sat at the end of the drive into the house where its owner stayed. Every time a car or vehicle passed it chased it as fast as it could for a good hundred yards up the road. I remember saying to the owner, “Do you think your dog will ever get fit enough to catch one of those cars? “
He smiled and replied, “That is not what bothers me. What really bothers me is what he would do if he ever did catch one.”
I smile when I remember that little dog running and barking in its endless and meaningless pursuit.
But these are not the only meaningless actions that can be seen day in and day out. We all at some time have pursued meaningless goals, and wasted precious time getting nowhere and doing nothing much.
The great sage once said, “To live a meaningful life, choose meaningful goals.! “
Now I hear the many people who on a regular basis ask me the question, “Why on earth do you get up at 6am and go running?’
Have a great day.
This blog is linked to my other. Homeward Bound.
