It’s a fabulous word. It sounds like it’s dancing. When it happens, “a fortuitous happenstance” or “pleasant surprise” such as it is, we often find ourselves questioning the happenstance. This past Sunday February 9, I was questioning a lot of things. As my two über fit sisters lined up beside me to run the 16th annual Palm Springs 1/2 marathon I first questioned my sanity, then my attire. I followed the questions up with a liberal dose of self doubt and the infamous “will I make it to the next porta potty” question. Then the countdown began, and we were off. I run with music and as I wished my sister luck and set my nike run app to 1/2 marathon shuffle a big smile spread across my face. I had to holler at my sister Rachel to have a listen to the fortuitous happenstance. Serendipity!
The song playing was a song I had put on my iTunes for my mom last year when she was bedridden with cancer. She would sing it all the time when offered a cup of tea. My siblings all listened to it with her, sang it with her, whistled it with her and all know it well. My brother-in-law used it as the background music for the pictorial of her life that was played at her funeral. It certainly isn’t a song you would find on a playlist of “songs to run to”, or ” great playlists for marathons”, but at that moment I couldn’t have asked for a better motivator. I went on to run the entire half, side by side with my sister Rachel. We watched our sister Hilary kick some serious butt with a solid 5th place finish in her age category and cheered her on at the out and back portion of the run. I enjoyed everything about the run; the weather, the flat course that meandered through beautiful neighbourhoods, the incredible volunteers, the support of my sister Rachel as we crossed the finish line together, and celebrating my sister Hilary’s performance. The big take away for me, medal around my neck aside, was the reminder that my mom is always with me and all of her family; in spirit, in our hearts and even in song.
The song playing was a song I had put on my iTunes for my mom last year when she was bedridden with cancer. She would sing it all the time when offered a cup of tea. My siblings all listened to it with her, sang it with her, whistled it with her and all know it well. My brother-in-law used it as the background music for the pictorial of her life that was played at her funeral. It certainly isn’t a song you would find on a playlist of “songs to run to”, or ” great playlists for marathons”, but at that moment I couldn’t have asked for a better motivator. I went on to run the entire half, side by side with my sister Rachel. We watched our sister Hilary kick some serious butt with a solid 5th place finish in her age category and cheered her on at the out and back portion of the run. I enjoyed everything about the run; the weather, the flat course that meandered through beautiful neighbourhoods, the incredible volunteers, the support of my sister Rachel as we crossed the finish line together, and celebrating my sister Hilary’s performance. The big take away for me, medal around my neck aside, was the reminder that my mom is always with me and all of her family; in spirit, in our hearts and even in song.
