Blessed

Right now I'm taking a break from reading while I write this and nom on one of the best lunches I have ever made. I just sliced an eggplant, a zuchinni and a red onion and grilled them in my increasingly awesome indoor grill. Then I layered the veggies with cooked lentils, marinara and herbed goat cheese, and heated it in the microwave. The oven would be better but what can I say, I am your typical lazy college student when it comes to stuff like that ;). Anyway, the mix is incredible. Try it!

But this has nothing to do with what I want to write about. Today I was on the way back home from a great mini tempo run and a strong swim workout when I decided to stop for a latte and people-watch for a bit. While I relaxed in the coffee shop, I could not help thinking about how blessed I am. I think sometimes I complain too much about how hard it is to balance ironman/ultramarathon training with full-time grad school. It's tough, sure, but how lucky am I that I am able to do all this? There are SO many people in this world who would trade places with me in a heartbeat.

Why do I get to live this life? I get to wake up in my adorable little house, run and swim (almost) to my heart's content, and sip a delicious if way-overpriced latte while I relax and just enjoy life. I get to study at an incredible university and learn from the best. I get to read a wide variety of intellectual books and discuss them with like-minded students and friends. I get to research topics that interest me and tell people all about them in my papers.

I get to swim, bike, run and race the sport(s) I love, all over the country and sometimes out of it too. I get to see what life is like in different places. I get to meet incredible people and hear their stories, and listen to the advice of people who are happy to share their wisdom and talk with me about the things they have seen and heard in their lifetimes.

I get to experience the love of family and friends...this is by far the most important. My family has done so much for me and I am more grateful than they know. My friends love and support me no matter how weird I can be sometimes ;) My incredible boyfriend loves me with all his heart and will for the rest of our lives...one day people will wake up and realize that love is the most important thing in the world. People spend forever trying to be happy, but they just don't get it. You don't need anything but other people to have everything in the world.

Life is precious and all of us take it for granted. Yesterday one of my friends was hit by a car while riding his bike...something we do every day and he could have been gone from this earth in a split-second. He's okay, thank God. Another friend was in a car accident the same day...his car went of the road and rolled, but he's just fine. But it doesn't always work out that way. Cherish every second we live 'cause life is shorter than we realize and it can end in a flash. Make the most of every opportunity and don't hold back...love everyone, don't hold grudges, experience everything you can. I'm pretty sure that there will be mountain climbing, ultrarunning, sky-diving and all that in Heaven, but who knows? lol...seriously though, you only get one life to live...if you're reading this you're living that life now. If you don't like what you do or who you've become, don't waste one more second: change what you do, or who you are. Yes you can do that.

There's nothing more tragic than looking back on your life at the end of it all and being filled with regret. Right now, make sure that you are living the life you want to live, and if you're not than do something. Look in the Bible if you don't know how to get started.


...well I didn't anticipate the direction this went but you gotta roll with what's in your heart. I hope that you all are loving life and living it up! Have a great day :)