If you don't like something change it.............................

My daughter passes her Runner's World magazines on to me when she finishes with them. One recent one was a celebration on the magazine being forty years old. Forty years ago, someone like me would definitely not be considered a runner. Heck, back then, women were not even ALLOWED to participate in road races. (The men were probably scared we would beat them!) Running was definitely a distance thing, a "macho" thing, all about the competion. From that perpective, no wonder there were few participants. Lucky for the rest of us, all that has changed over the years.

Road races are common place events, that not only drag thousands of people out of bed on the weekend, but raise thousands of dollars for great causes. Many a regular Joe and Jill participate, not to win first place, but to celebrate the feeling of movement, the sense of accomplishment that showing up at the start line give you. My hat is off to all that came before me to change the focus of the sport, that has come to give me so many great experiences.

Is there something in your world that you find facinating, but feel excluded from? Something you feel in your gut is exactly what you need? I feel a Jana song coming on.......... The words are, "Let the change begin, let the change begin, let the change begin.......... WITHIN."

Many of the things we long for really are ours for the taking, if we want them bad enough. Yes! I know there are some of you that read this that have physical problems that keep you from your hearts desires. Interestingly enough, you are the ones that never complain, and fill your days serving others. I am talking about those of us that like to whine and complain, but never really stop to ask what WE can to do to elicit change. If nothing else, the one thing that is always within our power to change is our attitude.

Over the years, I have tried to implement a "shut up, or put up" philosophy. If I wasn 't going to do something about my weight, stop bemoning the fact that I was fat. If I wasn't going to lose weight and get in shape, pain WAS going to be my daily companion. If I wasn't going to get involved in the cause for caring for the elderly, then stop complaining about their available living choices. If I didn't vote, I didn't have the right to bitch about my govermental leaders.

Ask yourself what you are putting up with, that you could do something about. Not over night, maybe not over the next year, but over time. Maybe like Runner's World, over the next forty years. When I am out running and tired, I sometimes say to myself (or out loud), "One step, one step, one step." That is all it takes................. A first step, and then another, and another, and before you know it everything has changed for the better. Take the first step today, and let me know what changes.