This past weekend I went out for a run in the woods. I have been running in the woods on weekends for several months with a couple of dear friends... and it is just magical. I love running through the falling leaves watching the leaves create a color spectrum that would be impossible to recreate in art... and to see the steam rising off the river as the water flows around the bend...
It is going to be hard to go back to running on the road. I may not return... ;-)
Anyway, this past week several times I noticed the "weight" of disharmony as I navigated my days. One night I was talking to my wife about just "giving into harmony". I was exploring with her the possibility of believing enough in something, trusting something enough, that you stop to FIGHT for it and just FLOW with it... I don't know if that makes any sense.
Well, on Saturday morning as we came to the turning point about 3 and half miles into our run, we decided to push an additional 3/4 of a mile up a final hill and "turn at the crest".
As we launched into the hill and the grade increased the same effort we had been using to move down the path became more difficult. My limbs seem to weigh more. My breath got shorter. While the run was still beautiful my body was struggling to push, struggling to consume enough oxygen to keep moving. My mind kept suggesting that I stop. The run became a lot less fun and a lot more work. But, the run was still beautiful - and the objective was to crest the hill and then turn back.
We made it up the hill and felt the satisfaction of having done so... and after some light stretching, headed back down the way we came.
Our legs were fresh with the help of gravity. I felt lighter. I moved faster. The stream next to me seemed to flow faster and the sun through the trees was shinning warmly. We felt strong and enjoyed our stride as we made our way back home.
It was the same beautiful run... the same beautiful morning, river, and path...
It was so very obvious how different the experience was running downhill than it was running up... and I couldn't help to make the comparison.
Physically it felt so similar...
Navigating with the weight of disharmony through issues at work - wishing things were different, personalities were different, situations were different is like running uphill. It's hard. Your mind wants you to stop. Your body hurts. You are not looking forward to the next step. You are out of breath and dreading the experience, though you acknowledge that its part of something that makes sense.
Navigating with the trust of harmony... through the issues at work... grateful for the day, confident that the principles of harmony will deliver success, focused on the collaboration and the growth that does exist... IS LIKE RUNNING DOWNHILL. It's still work, but you feel light on your feet. You feel strong and happy. You notice the beauty of things around you so much more readily. It's easy. The hill pulls you down. You are WORKING WITH the hill, not against it.
HARMONY IS SO MUCH LIKE GRAVITY... when you are running downhill.
DISHARMONY IS SO MUCH LIKE GRAVITY... when you are running uphill.
Disharmony is FIGHTING for every step.
Harmony is FALLING into every step... moving your life in the direction that it deserves to go... should go... can go...
Unfortunately, harmony and disharmony are not visibly obvious, and most often not visible at all...
You don't SEE, HARMONY and DISHARMONY... BUT YOU FEEL IT...
I need to be careful with this metaphor...
IMPORTANTLY, unlike running downhill, harmony is not always easier in the moment. Disharmony, often "appears" easier as it often accommodates the short term at the expense of the long term. The metaphor is not about the effort.
I liken harmony to running downhill because of the "MINDSET" that you tend to have and feel when you are running downhill, NOT the physical effort.
Is your mind "fighting" (disharmony) or "flowing" (harmony) the moment?
Are you looking forward to your next step or dreading it?
Are you picking up your pace as you go or finding each step to be more consuming?
Is your mind noticing the beauty around you or consumed by the energy that you are depleting?
NOTICE your mindset and NOTICE your harmony...
And, when you are running uphill realize that you don't need to turn around to go downhill, you just have to change direction...
Unlike the beautiful run in the woods, life is a never ending run that can be done uphill or downhill as you CHOOSE it.
The beauty of life is that you can choose your mindset, and thus pick the paths that fill your lungs and heart with the sense of running downhill...
It can be faith...
It can be purpose...
It can be meaning...
It can be harmony...
I know people who are always mentally "running downhill"... they smile alot... they are full of energy... they are grateful...
Find the mindset that increases your pace and allows you to notice the beauty of the experience.. and notice when your legs feel heavy and you are gasping for breath.
Live in harmony...
Run downhill...
Yours deep in the woods.... running with you along the river...
Nestor