My Dash

A few years ago my grandmother died, and at her funeral someone read the poem, The Dash. It's all about how it's not really about the year you were born, or the year you died, it's the "dash" or hyphen inbetween those two numbers. It's about what you got out of those years between the two biggest numbers that define you. A few years ago, one of my best friend's boyfriends died in a motorcyle accident and that same poem was read at his funeral. I felt like the poem was following me around, and even though my friend was changed forever, that poem helped her through one of her toughest struggles.

With all we went through last year, and even this year with moving and pursuing adoption, I have tried to keep a positive outlook and keep on going with my life. Once we decided to stop with IVF treatments I decided almost that same day that I would train for a long race, a half marathon or something close. I wanted to get my pre-IVF/pre-pregnancy body back to some semblance of its old self. I remember telling my sister my plans and she kind of laughed at me and said I didn't need to "punish" myself because I couldn't get pregnant.

But I don't see it that way. Running (for the most part) makes me feel happy, healthy and strong. After a good run I feel as if I got all the negative out, figuratively and literally, I feel as I saw my own personal shrink, because big problems that I have been worried about, no longer feel quite so big. I also feel lean, thinner, like I could kick some major tail if I had too. I feel as if I'm really making my "dash" count. I have a 10 mile race coming up next weekend, and even though I'm scared I know I can do it. Even though I won't win, I will feel as if I did accomplish something bigger this summer.

Living to my fullest does not only work with running but seizing the opportunity, getting out of my comfort zone and trying new things. My sister and her husband were in town this weekend, and there's nothing like trying new things than to act like a tourist in the place that you live. This weekend, we tried new restaurants (which let's be honest is pretty darn IN my comfort zone), going kayaking on the Long Island Sound and going to the US Open (I've never been a huge fan of tennis, but I'm really starting to like it!).

It's all about MY dash, and how I want to live my life. Not only living my life, but not missing out on my life. Life is short...and we all have jobs, families, babies, spouses, mortgages, pets and problems, but it's also about now. It's MY dash; what's in your dash?