Learning to Listen

Is it ok to hate someone?  What if this person is making your life miserable and they don’t even know it?  What if the very sight of them makes you cringe and pray they will go away?  Will God remove them from your life?

Hard question to answer.  Something that comes to mind is what a trusted mentor once told me.  He said, “You hate most in others what you avoid seeing in yourself.”  If this is true, it’s a hard pill to swallow.

I think this running and blogging journey is causing me to rethink a lot of things such as why I find faults in others I probably suffer from myself.  Do I lack compassion?  Do I lack the ability to meet people where they are? Maybe I just need more life experience.  Maybe I need a vacation.  Maybe I am just being too hard on myself.  I am human after all.

In reality, I think I need to step back and actually listen to my complaining self.  I have suppressed it for so long it might be overloaded.  Why do I avoid listening to it?  Because it causes my thoughts and emotions to go places I'd rather not go right now.

I have been told that suppressing thoughts and emotions can lead to stress related issues including lethargy.  Lethargy?  Isn’t that one of the gremlins I’m trying to stomp with this running thing?  Should I be listening to my thoughts and emotions in addition to running?  Is that the voice that shows up every time I run?

So why is this blog taking a turn for the dramatic?  I’m not sure.  Maybe it’s because I think to excel as a runner and human being I need to address all aspects of myself. Have you ever noticed that avid runners seem to have a sense of clarity?  I could use some of that.

I think there may be a lot of lessons in today’s blog but the one I will put out there is this.  Make sure the person you’re hating on isn’t you.  If you find youself hating someone else, let it go.  Hate is a mental prison that only imprisons the one feeling it.

Thanks for bearing with the drama above.  I actually had a comical plan for tonight’s blog before it went in a different direction.  To lighten the mood here’s a bit of it.

I've noticed some ladies following my blog and I want to say thanks.  They include my sister, my sisters from another mother, and my wife.  If you’re reading this and have not yet subscribed please think about doing so.  I'm trying to get Bowflex to set me up with some workout equipment, and though I love my 7 followers, it might not be enough to get sponsorship.  Help a brother get some muscles so he can run in an Under Armour compression fit shirt.  Thanks.

One more thing.  I did get up and run this morning.