Life is often measured and judged by milestones and accomplishments. We are often able to look at life’s scorecard and see the wins we have collected when it comes to things we have either acquired or accomplished through money, hard work, generous giving, or just pure luck. Life’s journey presents us with opportunities to achieve many milestones along with the many things we are able to acquire. I have had a blessed life and can reflect on many accomplishments and milestones along the way. Successes and failures alike have marked my journey through faith, family and sport. These successes and failures have helped shape me and continue to help me be the version of myself I am to date.
Today marks another milestone in my life, one that I have pondered for a while but it used to seem so far away until now. I am waking up today to day 20,111. This is a day that my dad was not able to experience. My dad passed on October 27th, 1995-day 20,110 of his life. I was 25 years old and 30 years down the road seemed so far away at the time. I knew my dad’s life was cut short and he passed away early. As the years have passed and more milestones have come along I have slowly kept the realization that day 20,110 was approaching.
As I slowly aged through my forties and now midway through my fifties, there have been moments where I was able to sit and reflect on the gravity of trying to realize just how short my dad’s life was. Aging comes with more clarity that life does end for all of us at some point and no one really knows how much sand is left in their own hourglass. We really only get one shot at this thing called life and the finality of it tends to creep up on me from time to time. As I sit here and write this, I just can’t imagine today being my last day. There are so many things I still want to experience and accomplish. Many more milestones I’d like to reach. Knowing my dad lived for 20,110 days, my hope is that he found satisfaction and pride in the achievements and milestones of his journey. I know in hindsight, I find peace in knowing that I was able to visit him and tell him I loved him one more time on day 20,110.
I wake up today with a sense of gratitude. Grateful for yet another day but grateful for a day my dad was never able to experience. I think we all tend to get wrapped up in the journey of life with all the blessings and adversities it throws our way only to glance back and not realize the significance of each day and what a blessing it really was for us. We tend to wish days away in order to escape some moments or hurray and get to that next milestone. As I grow older, I try to make a better effort of being present each day and in each moment to recognize it truly is a gift.
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, they call it the present because it truly is a gift”-Brian Cain
Over the past few years, due to my oldest son’s influence with his job at Fleet Feet, I have started a new journey in the running world. This Sunday I will run the Battleship 12K in Mobile, Alabama. I have run in a few events but considering the timing of this event and the location, I thought it would be appropriate to dedicate this run to my dad. The USS Alabama is a place we visited as a family when I was much younger on one of our journey’s as a family. It one of the places that my dad introduced me to as well as many others. He was always up for an adventure whether it be planned or a spontaneous 24 hour trip to Worlds of Fun with a buddy to ride roller coasters. Running has given me an opportunity to try and maintain my health but I also realize that it gives me a chance often to be alone with my thoughts. Day 20,110 has been thought of often on training runs and as I continue to run thoughts will now shift to how I can make the most of day 20,111 and beyond. Any race has a start and a finish such as life. Along the course of the race, there are moments of strength and doubt. There are parts of the race where there can be hills and valleys. We run the race with others but yet we run the race alone, competing with ourselves to be better than we were before. We reach the finish line with a sense of accomplishment and yearn for the next race despite the trials and training we endure to run the next race. This race we call life, is a one shot deal. We run it with others, giving and receiving energy, adjusting the pace along the way, sometimes falling but having the strength and courage to get up and keep running, enjoying the view along the way and being grateful for the opportunity to run the race to finally cross the finish line with a fist pump and a sense of pride.
Hebrews 12:1-2
“And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
I am grateful for today, day 20,111. I hope that the day I finish my own race my dad will be there at the finish line to congratulate me and say job well done. Thank you dad for teaching me through your 20,110 days how to run my race.
Burchy and Big Guy 