The Run:
I am in Helena, Montana for my oldest daughters high school graduation. There is a two hour time difference here from where I live in Charlotte, NC. So, I woke up early for Montana. It gave me the opportunity to see the sunrise over the State Capitol. It was beyond spectacular! I loved it!! Plus it was a nice distraction from the fact that I had a difficult time breathing! This part of Montana is BIG on magnificent landscapes and breathtaking mountain scenery, but not so much on oxygen! Local runners say it takes about 4-6 months to acclimate to the high altitude thin air.
Still, it was a great start to an even more wonderful day
The Mind:
It will come as no surprise that I could not stop thinking about my daughter and her graduation later today. Like most graduating students, this will be a big shift for her (and her siblings). A good shift, I think. Some look at high school graduations as an ending. But I like to see it as a beginning. It is the commencement of a fuller palette of choices and accountability. Of opportunity and responsibility. Of higher challenges and grander victories.
I am excited for her and her future. As her Dad, I worry about the times that she will stumble and possibly fall. But I am eager to see her get back up each time and press on.
I see her strengths, talents, and everything that she is capable of. Like her brothers and sister, I know that she can do anything (a gift that they received more from their Mom than me).
As the father of four amazing children, I am always proud of them. And today, I am quite a few rungs higher on the pride ladder. I am proud of Kylie O’Bryant. I hope she knows that her Daddy loves her. Now and for always!
The Journey – 117.7 Miles:
The virtual run on the A2B Journey took me to the middle of the little town of Beaumont, CA. One of Beaumont’s claims to fame is that it is location where many of the scenes were filmed from the TV show, “My Name Is Earl.”
I got excited for a minute as there are some Beaumonts in my family history. (In fact, my oldest sons middle name is Beaumont.) Thinking there might be some connection, I did some quick research. It turns out the folks there just thought the San Bernardino mountains are beautiful! (Beaumont is French for “beautiful mountain”). Oh well! Looking forward to the rest of my running tour of the city.