I Am Enough

One man wryly wrote: "I would love to run a marathon. I think it would be a great accomplishment. But that's not enough. Oh, I could take my body to the starting line and command it sternly: 'All right body!  Here we go. Twenty-six miles, three hundred eighty-five yards. Do it!'" He chuckle ruefully. "My body would roll on the ground, howling with laughter, and say, 'Who are you talking to, sir?'"

I get a bit of a chuckle when I read this. I picture my body doing the same thing, laughing at me for even thinking that I could run a marathon. After picking my son up from school one day last week, we passed the cross country team practicing. He commented that it seemed like every girl his age liked to run. I, too, have felt those same sentiments. It seems like all the women around my age go running each morning, or have run in numerous marathons. For a long time, I felt there was something wrong with me. Was I missing something?  Was there some inborn desire given to women that said marathons are a right of passage into the next life, and I was deficient in the gene? I had no desire to run and even less of a desire to train for a 26 mile marathon. It was just not on my bucket list.  That didn't mean I didn't go through feelings of inadequacy, though.  Shouldn't I want to achieve something so glorious as training for a marathon? 

This past Saturday I awoke early to participate in a 5K. But not to run. Our local Junior High fine arts program was doing a fundraiser and I had volunteered as photographer. As I milled around the runners prepping to run, I was not in the least bit envious. I was not feeling any feelings of not being good enough either. I am not a runner. I have come to accept that and know it is okay. I am enough just the way I am, having succeeded in so many other areas in life. I was there as a photographer, one who has taken classes, one who has practiced and practiced over the years, one who has purchased the good equipment for task I was to perform.  I have put time and energy and learning into my skill, just like a runner has purchased the right equipment and practiced hours to prepare for running marathons and 5k's.  We are both enough. 

My junior photographer in training

My short message to everyone this week is You Are Enough!  You don't have to be like everyone else.  You have to be like you.  And that is perfect, and enough.