Running for my life

On this my 798th consecutive day of running a mile each day, I was thinking how important running is to me and how I'm able to use it as a metaphor for my life.

If I was ever to write a book about running, I would have to call it something like "Running for my life".

I know I talked before about how we so easily add our own meanings to other people's words, in my post The lesson of the sore hand, but it occurred to me again when thinking about a book called "Running for my life".

I would hazard a guess that probably the majority of people would think that a book with that title might be about a criminal on the run, or someone who was in great danger and had to flee, or someone who had some sort of life-threatening illness and had to exercise to stay alive.

It’s a bit like the phrase “I never said he stole the money”.

Consider that phrase when I emphasise a different word in the sentence.

“I never said he stole the money” would indicate that someone else had said it.

“I never said he stole the money” would indicate that I probably think it but haven’t yet stated it.

“I never said he stole the money” would indicate that someone else stole the money.

“I never said he stole the money” would indicate that he probably got hold of it in another way that is still underhand.

“I never said he stole the money” would indicate that he stole something else other than money.

So, back to my hypothetical book title. When I say “Running for my life”, I don’t mean “Running for my life”, I mean “Running for my life”.

Running adds quality, pleasure, depth, discipline and fun to my life, and it shows me the importance of developing habits that support me  in becoming the person I know I can be.

What is it you run for?