An enriched perspective of the human condition

I'm a runner. 

Running isn't who I am.

But it fuels me.

It fuels my body, mind, and spirit.

Running keeps me at peace with myself, my world, and my God.

I started running again on September 10, six weeks post surgery, 3.5 miles and felt really good. 

Two miles the next day to make sure I wasn’t overdoing it.

Saturday I returned to my regular weekend running group and ran 5.5 miles.

Took a day of rest then ran 2 miles on Monday.

I also returned to work on Monday!  

After almost 7 weeks of recovery I unofficially went  back to work.  

I’m a teacher so I kept my sub for Monday and Tuesday so I could do some lesson planning and will return to the classroom on Wednesday!

Wow! 

When I came back to work I was showered with support.

So many people took time to tell me they had been thinking about me and praying for me. 

Co-workers who told me how they missed my presence. 

Several who told me how they were encourage by this blog. 

Students who told me that they were so happy to see me.

It’s hard to explain, but with each heartfelt comment I feel almost like someone is behind me, wrapping their arms around me lifting me up.

With all the prayer and support I’m getting I feel so much stronger, maybe energized would be a better word. 

This Saturday is the Zero Prostate Cancer walk/run in San Francisco.

I can’t believe that there are almost 25 people who have signed up on my team to do the run and we have raised almost $2,000.

I am well on my way on the Road to Total Recovery!

I’m reminded of the late surgeon general C. Everett Koop’s report on depression I read nearly 15 years ago when I was struggling to recover from depression.

“To return renewed with an enriched perspective of the human condition is the major benefit of recovery. To return at peace, with yourself, your experience, your world, and your God, is the major joy of recovery.”

Going through this cancer journey I defiantly have: 

An enriched perspective of the human condition.

Peace with myself.

Peace with my experience.

Peace with my world.

Peace with my God.

And this all brings me JOY!