This morning, I ran uphill for 20 minutes. It was a steep incline that left my lungs and legs burning. I did not stop, though, not once. I went with a few members of the running group, early, even before the sun was up. So it seemed we had the city to ourselves, especially on the deserted roads that took us up to a hill overlooking Wickie Wackie Beach.

It was the kind of run that provided a few good reminders for me as I deal with some challenges lately. Last week, the water in my apartment was shut off as some people were delinquent in paying their bills (apparently the National Water Company changed the water metering system, which resulted in bills more than doubling). This was extremely inconvenient, needless to say. Then, my lap top decided to die without any warning. After a long ordeal that involved me sending it with a colleague to Memphis to be fixed (I was told by Apple there is no authorized service provider here. WRONG!), it would not have been fixed in time to have been brought back. So I am now waiting for it to be fixed from what they have diagnosed as water damage. I have never spilled anything on it, that I know of. I have been told it could be the humidity here. The warranty does not cover water damage, but may cover the effects of humidity. Fingers crossed. So I have been on the phone to Apple trying to sort this out. I now have a new friend named Denis who is promising to do what he can to help me with this problem.

This all comes at a time that I am trying to keep up with my day-to-day job, blogging, two major projects due in the next couple of weeks and various other activities I am involved in. Needless to say, a writer without a laptop is catastrophic.

Okay, maybe it is not so bad. I keep reminding myself that this will all pass. And my friends and family are all ok, at least for today. As am I. I am able to run up a mountain without stopping for two kilometers.

Which brings me back to what running has taught me over the years and what it does for me when things in my life seem to be exploding. I have learned that our body and mind are capable of way more than we think. I have learned that if you just put one foot in front of the other, it will all get done at some point. I have learned that if you concentrate on the totality of all that is in front of you, it is overwhelming, so concentrate on what is right in front of you, with only glimpses far ahead to keep things in perspective. Things usually have a way of working themselves out, time smoothes them over and before you know it, you have new worries and the old ones are long gone. I have learned that a challenging run (and life) is a lot more pleasant with someone at your side. Even with no words exchanged, to hear them labouring is a comfort. This morning, my mind and body were telling me to stop, telling me I was past my limit, but I kept my eye on friend ahead, his steps steady and precise. This is another thing I have learned: to ignore the madness in your mind. There is always a lot of noise going on up there in your brain. You can choose to listen and succumb to the chaos and negativity when things are tough, or you can acknowledge, move on and concentrate on the positive. I have learned too, that if you breathe, spread oxygen about your body, you will calm down and regain perspective and will be better equipped to act with wisdom. And this morning I was reminded, as I reached the top of the hill and Kingston all of a sudden was sprawled out before me, that things can turn out better and more breathtaking than you could ever have imagined possible. It is a journey, and it is worth it.

So please forgive this cliche-ridden post, but I must remind myself of the things I have learned that will get me through this challenging time. And please forgive the lack of blogging. I will post as often as I can until my laptop is fixed.