Jan 25, 2012 Leaving Your Mark On This World - Boston 2012

How To Leave Your Mark

It was a cold 23 degrees on my run today, but I wouldn't have know if I hadn't check the temperature before I stepped out the door.  The streets were dark and quiet and today's workout was an easy 7 mile run.  The last couple of days have been an emotional roller coaster and the workouts have been a welcome distraction to  all of the craziness.  At night I have been so mentally exhausted that I think I have fallen asleep before my head even touched my pillow.  

With the passing of my Grandmother this week and her upcoming memorial, I can't help but think about how she left her mark on this world.  To me, she was a highly educated woman, not in the book sense but in the school of life.  In her life she had struggled through major adversities yet still managed to provide for her family.  She was not a woman of monetary wealth, but she was rich in her passion for life and doing what she loved.  To my son and daughter not only was she a great-grandmother, but she was a storyteller, a set of open arms that were always ready for a hug and a promise that they could always call her if they needed anything.  Her passing has made me stop and think about how I will leave my mark on this world.  What have I done or am doing that will make a difference in someone's life?  How will my children remember me?  I think this question can best be answered similar to running a race; you do this one step at a time.  Find a way each day to love a little more. 

How To Leave Your Mark

A mighty vessel never sails the world
All within an hour

And it takes much more than just a day
For man to build a tower

So a legacy of love and care
Can’t be forged by just a snap

It’s a little here, a little there
A little this and that

Its one more hug, it’s one more kiss
It’s one more listening ear

It’s one more reassurance
As you wipe off one more tear

All in all, to leave your mark
There’s not a “secret way”

You’ll make a difference if you just love
A little more each day

-AJ Barlow

Workout 

7 miles 

Actual-7.17 miles