Just a couple of weeks ago I heard my Grandfather give one of the greatest speeches at my sisters graduation from receiving her doctorate in chiropractic. I have sat many, many hours listening to him speak about life and learning from this wise old man but this speech was incredible. His message in so many words was in his lifetime( he is now 85)was there is nothing greater than LOVE. Love he said, was the key to life. One day he was a young man and the next thing he knew he woke up and was an old man and everything had changed except love and he is right. Today is my Grandmothers birthday and she sadly left us four years ago and I know for her birthday she wouldn’t want anything more than for me to honor her greatest gift and his message, my Grandfather and love.
This speech was just two weeks ago and it has been resonating with me over and over on long drives, tossing and turning in bed at night or just thinking about my grandfather. And it had me thinking….
LOVE REALLY IS THE ANSWER
From my own experiences running has been my constant love. I have been running since I was a kid, sometimes training with my own Dad who ran marathons. Several years ago I ran three marathons in three consecutive weekends. Each race got faster and faster and on the fourth week I really did look for the fourth marathon but it was too far and so I passed on it. For many years after I became a folk story around here of doing this crazy feat, everyone would always ask me how I did it and its simple. I LOVE TO RUN. Not too long after that I ran the LA Marathon and that day clocked in close to 60 miles in one outing. After running the race and then running back and forth between the finish line and mile 19 several times, the miles soon added up. At the time I was the road runner coach and everyone today still will ask me how I did it and it comes down to, I LOVE to help people and coach runners run to their true potentials.
Are you catching my idea here? The main point I am trying to get to is LOVE really is the basis to doing anything great. My great friend from Murray Hill in New York emailed me today and said it simply and truthfully, “As long as everything is done with love, than nothing can possibly be wrong”
EVER BEEN IN LOVE? Everything is perfect and the world is in harmony and there is this light inside of you that shines and you are unstoppable. LOVE. And if you have ever loved someone and lost them, think of them and send them light and love, there is nothing better than that. LOVE.
EVER BEEN TO THE AIRPORT? The passengers all get off the plane and all you see are embraces and smiles and LOVE.
The number one looked up subject on the internet? No, not Kim Kardashian!! it’s LOVE.
Think of the most succesful people you know. Have you ever had a conversation about their profession? They will tell you how they absolutely LOVE what they do. It’s this LOVE that drives them to be the best they can be and in turn make them succesful.
Usually Christmas and the holidays are everyone’s favorite time of the year. Yes because we can get a day off from work but its the time when we all come together, even for just one day, to exchange gifts and food and embraces. Really the underlying truth under all the gifts is LOVE.
WHY DO YOU RUN? To run and let Garmin watches control your every step or effort? For years as a coach and runner of a million half marathons and marathons it seems every runner will always ask me which Garmin I run with or pace watch and I tell them I DONT. I have never had one. I have been running long enough and can more or less know which pace I am running is what I always tell them. But the real truth is I just love to run and I realized these past couple of weeks I have been running all this time listening to my body and most of all letting my heart lead me to limits. Your heart will always take you where you need to go, you just have to sometimes stop and listen to it. It will always get you where you need to be, even in a run.
So Grandma, this one was for you because after 62 years of marriage to Grandpa, you both taught me LOVE really is everything. There is nothing greater and LOVE will always conquer. LOVE REALLY IS THE ANSWER. I will continue to spread the love you have taught me.
See you at the rainbow’s end,
Ryan
