I’m truly blessed
One of my colleagues at work lives quite close to me and he was keen to go running this morning. We arranged to meet up at 6:30 to get a run in before work but by 6:45 he hadn’t shown up so I decided I’d just go for my run anyway.
It was an absolutely beautiful morning, just perfect. Auckland is such a great city for running in. Look where I was running this morning:
Excuse the poor quality of the shot but I was trying the panorama shot function on my cellphone and I didn’t get it quite right. Having said that I think it captures the scene reasonably well. That is the Orakei Basin and is another volcano I believe.
I’d left my ipod behind as I had thought I’d be running with a partner so I was alone with my thoughts this morning. Normally I’m listening to a book or a podcast (Phedippidations is a favourite) but today I got to thinking. You know, I’m truly blessed. My life is pretty spectacular nowadays. I’ve got a wife I’m madly in love with, a darling monkey daughter, a job I love, fantastic family, great health and fitness and I live in a beautiful city. Compared to most people I’ve got it made. It hit me then that I’m happy. Sure I have problems. We all do. I could do with more money for sure. That annoying coworker is still annoying. But in the greater scheme of things I’m happy.
And then afterwards, while having breakfast I read a great post by Leo, a fellow runner, talking about the secret to having a fantastic 2009:
Stop waiting for happiness. Happiness is right here, right now.
Words of wisdom and so true.
Here’s my running map for today:
I did 11.2 happy km in 1:11:34.
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January 6th, 2009 11:24
Auckland looks very scenic from here, that’s for sure. Running up and around volcanoes? Wow. Your summer pics look so different from what I’m seeing these days in the northern U.S.
Glad to hear you’re taking a moment to smell the roses (while running, no doubt). We should all take time to count our blessings.
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January 6th, 2009 13:05
I love your post. I sort had one of those life is good moments my self today.
I too am blessed and its great to be alive and well!
Good luck on the 13 week challenge!
My weight , ughhh….
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January 6th, 2009 13:19
Nice run! Looks like a great day for it!!
Have a good 2009!
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January 6th, 2009 14:01
Does sound like a great experience. You are “blessed” to live in that scenery to inspire you!
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January 6th, 2009 14:38
I saw that “happy” post today, too, and it really resonated. Glad to find a kindred (and happy) spirit.
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January 6th, 2009 14:55
Sounds like a serendipitous run — one of those totally unexpected, unplanned, great to be alive kind of runs. Beautiful route.
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January 6th, 2009 16:02
Love it. I am truly blessed, even when all the details aren’t going my way all the time.
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January 6th, 2009 20:25
No shortage of decent scenery over your way thats for sure. What happened to the colleague? Can’t see your pictures for some reason but I guess i’ve seen it anyway.
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January 6th, 2009 20:56
I`m impressed by anybody who gets up before work to do a run, funnily enough I had planned to get up at 6-30 to go for a run but it was cold and I was tired….
I admire your dedication, maybe your running partner felt how I felt , but I would have at least cancelled!
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January 6th, 2009 23:20
I wouldn’t mind running if I had scenery like that around me!
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January 6th, 2009 23:48
saw your post title and smiled.
you view your life in the same way I strive to view mine.
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January 7th, 2009 03:02
You are, indeed, a lucky duck! Absent all the other blessings, just getting to run in a city such as yours every day would qualify you.
Gratitude is the best thing going.
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January 7th, 2009 06:40
You took that pic with your cell phone? Awesome! It must be lovely there!
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January 7th, 2009 07:06
*THUD* I was floored when I saw the panoramic picture. I had to get up. How did you get all those leaves up in the trees? Oh that’s right, you are having summer. It is just starting to snow a little bit at this hour here. Complete opposite !!! Man, you must be having terrific weather!
Stay cool while I stay warm !!!
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January 7th, 2009 07:50
Very pretty. Hope you gave your colleague sufficient grief for standing you up…
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January 7th, 2009 09:32
Yup. Totally jealous of the weather AND the venue… Nice place to run for sure!
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January 7th, 2009 16:11
Hey I like your post. Being grateful and thankful for what we have is the first step to getting what we want. Great job on running too. I have lost 130 lbs and have now finished 7 marathons and 4 ultra marathons. We have come a long we eh? Running and weight loss has changed my life.
http://run4change.wordpress.com
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January 7th, 2009 17:31
Great post, it really makes me think of how many blessings I’ve been given, and now that I think about it, I’ve been very happy lately! 2008 was one of my worst years ever, yet I feel blessed, and am happy.
Here’s to an awesome 2009!
(man i wish we had that nice weather right now too – it’s 10 degrees farenheit here right now.. brr.)
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January 7th, 2009 21:06
You’re going to have to stop posting all those beautiful photos or I might have to move to NZ!
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January 8th, 2009 06:00
That’s awesome, Andrew. I mean really awesome.
I heard a song today that reminded me of what you wrote about (in a sense) called “These Are the Good Ole Days” by James Otto.
The chorus goes “These are the good ole days that we’ve been livin’ / No more lookin’ back all is forgivin’ / Ain’t gonna live my life through no picture frame / These are the good ole days”
I find I can easily start feeling really piss poor about my past, especially in regards to my health, but you know what? Life’s pretty good, and I’m moving forward into bigger and better things.
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January 8th, 2009 07:23
Isn’t it nice to have those moments to catch yourself happy? I wish they happed more often. It looks like a beautiful place to run with your thoughts. I love to run with my i-pod but have never thought about listening to a book. That would probably be better for my mind than listening to old school Motley Crue
.
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January 8th, 2009 07:53
What a beautiful place to run, admire your dedication to get up and running before work =)
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January 8th, 2009 08:42
You do have a good life, its awesome you can acknowledge it.
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January 8th, 2009 14:49
That is great Andrew, how does it compared to where you were at your heaviest?
That is a pretty impressive picture from your cellphone too.
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January 9th, 2009 10:58
it’s so nice to just write all out and think, “yep, life is sweet”. good on ya
and AUCKLAND! so beautiful.
happy new year!
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January 10th, 2009 09:53
I like how your running path is laid out on the map, and you provide the distance of the path. You are providing a structured example for people to follow, and I am sure others are mapping out their runs/walks due to this example. It also gives us a sense of what that area is like.
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