I attempt to consider what the future holds for me and I can only manage to hold a few dozen possibilities in my mind at once. The variations are as our parents told us, infinite. We can be almost anything we wish to be. The real decision which many of us put off, giving one excuse after the other, is what do we want to define us? When we are old and our hair is gray, if we have any that is, what do we want to be known for? I don’t mean on a large scale either. One of the greatest achievements in life is to be remember as a great father, husband, grandfather. Family should cherished and valued, and sadly it is too often looked over. When was the last time you honestly listened to a story your grand father told, or great grand father? What was one of their greatest achievements in all their years?
I personally would love to look back on my life when I am older, with my grandchildren sprawled out on the floor, and tell them of my accomplishments. To watch as their small mouths drop open, uttering the words, “You REALLY did that Grandpa?” They may not believe me. They may even think I am lying, or just telling them a story I read in a book once. I will know the truth though. I will know all the places my feet have taken me. All the struggles my hands and head have rescued me from. All the deep valley’s and towering peaks my heart guided me too.
The future has so many possibilities and that is exactly the problem. There are too many and I don’t know if I would be satisfied with closing my eyes and shooting blind. Far too much can go wrong. At least if I choose one, and point in the general direction, my arrow has a chance of accidentally hitting the target. Who knows, I may miss and hit a far better target then I first imagined. Either way, its better then shooting blind.
Mile 29 