Lake Effect
by Brian D. Meeks
Chapter 38 Day 38
Steve spent the day taking stock. This is what he wrote:
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I have led a incredibly blessed life. It has taken me most of my life to realize it. Born May 7 1966, that was my first break. I was born with a birth defect that found all the bones surrounding my brain already fused. Had I been born just a few years earlier my brain would not have been allowed to grow. At 7 weeks, the surgery was performed and thanks to a surgeon I will never know, My brain was going to be able to mature as normal
I don’t have many memories of my childhood. One of the most vivid is a running memory. I went to the 6th grade in Burlington Iowa at Apollo middle school. The school was a couple miles from my home and most days I walked home after school.
One day, for no particular reason that I can remember, I decided to run. I was an awkward lanky kid in blue jeans and a pair of tennis shoes.
There was a good sized hill to climb and then a mile or so to home. I don’t remember the start of that run, but to this day I remember the run starting to become easy..my breathing started to change. I started to tune into my breath. It was not difficult or strained. There was a rythym to it. I became the breathing. It lasted less than a mile.
I have never forgot that. 17 years later I ran my first 5k. 33 minutes. So hard..No rythym..no ease.
Today..somewhere along a road I will never run on again, after a long rest, I set out to take another chunk out of the run.
I walked at first, maybe for a mile or so. Then I began to jog, barely faster than the walk. Random thoughts blasted across my brain. This was not new territory. I began to observe my thoughts with no judgement at all. When I do this the thoughts start to slow. As they do, I try to then observe and hopefully become my breathing.
Marshall Ulrich talks about running sometimes hours without a thought..compressing time..out of body. Running OUT of your mind. Literally.
It had been 35 years or so since that 6th grade kid stumbled upon this sensation, but I had found it again.
I existed only in my breathing. There was no body, no mind. My legs, my arms, my mind did not exist. On some level, ‘I’ did not exist.
I was everything and nothing all at once. I thought of that young kid, so clueless, stumbling onto the joy of running, so many years ago. I hope it’s not 35 more years until I find it again. Day 36 is done. Love you all!! For survivors everywhere. Livestrong
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Steve – Although I wanted to be there to celebrate you, and what you have achieved for thousands of people, please know that all of your family here is so proud of you and what you have accomplished. I know uncle Mike was with you, and would’ve been the first to say “Hell of a job nephew”. God bless – Aunt Mary
This led to a whole new level of inspiration for me. I think you’ve started a revolution amongst us, Steve. I’ve never heard of not being able to run a silly little 5K, even with thyroid cancer, so I’m going to dream up something to raise funds and awareness just like you have… only nowhere near as awesome as yours. (: Congrats, Steve – you’ve done it again!
It is you who inspire…do not ever forget that
I really enjoyed this insight into Steve’s childhood and that special moment he had in 6th grade with running and the eventual return to it. This arc of his life is an inspiration. And – I’ll NEVER forget his birthday. It’s the same day (and year) as another amazing man who happens to be my husband!