Why you keep bringin’ up ole Sh&T…..

Cuz SOMETIMES…the Ole’ SH&T…is

the BEST Sh&T…

The following is the personal statement I wrote when applying to Duke’s PA program in 2012.

And…SEVEN years later…and it still reins true…

So here’s hoping that YOU TOO might enjoy, or appreciate, a dose of this OLD-A$$ CRAP-O-LA….!!

I once read a story in Runner’s World magazine about a runner who had completed the grueling Leadville 100 mile run in Colorado, suffering barely a scratch.  A few weeks later while running through his neighborhood, he tripped on a decorative rock, and broke 3 ribs.  Life’s wounds are inevitable, and we are all recovering from something, whether it is from wounds of the day, week or many years ago. 

Two years ago I ran to the top of Mt. Mitchell for the annual 40 mile winter challenge.  I thought that when I reached the summit, I could hurl all of my wounds from the mountaintop.  But when I reached the top, there was nothing I wanted to throw.  Through the many months of arduous training leading up to this point, I had finally realized how valuable these wounds were.  I discovered that wounds are not an anchor, but the catalyst that will help me prevail in the face of adversity.  I realized that scars are a precious reminder of our extraordinary ability to recover. My recovery occurs along the many miles of trails I run or ride, because the more my legs spin, the less my mind does.  I recover every time I step onto my yoga mat, and am reminded of the restorative powers of stillness and breath. 

In my 34 years of existence, I have come to appreciate the exquisite combination of thrills and tragedies that life has to offer.  Without fully appreciating each in their own right, you cannot fully live.  I believe my experiences will be instrumental as I help others to recover from their wounds.  I may not know what it is to live with chronic illness or suffer from a debilitating disease.  But I know what it is to spend almost a lifetime recovering.  I know what it feels like to be faced with an insurmountable task. I know what it is to be entirely broken down, yet somehow muster an ounce of courage to push through the pain, freezing temperatures or high speed winds, to summit a peak.  And I know how important it is to be patient as you allow yourself to recover one mile, one day, one step at a time.

I know its been QUITE SOME TIME….but…

Until next time my loves…

🙂