Friday Find ~ My Favorite Flower and the Motivation to Keep Going

I should have known today was going to be a tough day when a sink full of dirty dishes and smelly garbage greeted my in the kitchen, and then the kids missed the bus. I hadn't even noticed the grey and gloomy skies until I was driving the kids to school. 

 

But, I still got my running gear on, and headed out for my run because of a picture I snapped yesterday. It is of my favorite flower, and just the thought of seeing it today was enough to get me out there. 

 

It is so beautiful there, surrounded by weeds, old leaves, and brush. It is a splash of color on a not so colorful hill, right next to the sidewalk. Even though I didn't want to run, I thought the site of this would be worth getting out there, plus the added bonus that I didn't skip a day.

 

It was sprinkling just a bit, and keeping in mind what a friend of mine posted the other day - "You're doing well! don't let the rain scare you > Running in the rain is great." Besides it was just barely 'misting', not bad at all. So off Lady J and I  went. 

 

I shot this picture to show what I must get past (well up) every day before I even start my run. The cloudy day rightly shows how ominous it is. The ski was actually quite beautiful.

 

Then, as I was positively thinking this would be great, a downpour of rain hit us. 

I stood in the road, while the dog was pooping, saying completely out loud, rather loudly - "Really? Seriously? Now it pours? Really?"

 

Well, I really wanted to just go back down the driveway and go home, but I was already out here, already wet. I decided I may as well get fully wet, and up the hill we went. At the top I start running, and today this was more difficult than it has been lately. I really had to dig deep to get going, even came very close to just walking, but I reasoned it would be done faster if I ran. So I ran. Some days are just harder than others, as any runner knows. Well today was one of those days. 

 

At the beginning of each song on my headphones, all I thought was how I wanted to be done. But I kept going. It is when I passed the Iris I started to change my thoughts to 'well I have come this far, there is no point in quitting in the middle'. 

 

I turn around shortly after seeing those flowers and am greeted with this hill right after I turn around. At this point, I HAVE to run up the hill to get home, and thus it is a turning point in more ways than one. I have reached half-way, I am headed home, and I know if I can get this far, I can certainly get up the hill back home. Again, there really is no point quitting in the middle. 

 

Did I mention there was a strong breeze with the rain today? And guess what, at this point, at the bottom of this hill where I just turned around to go home, that strong wind was coming right towards my face. At this point the thought really sunk in: There really is no point in quitting in the middle, when you have come so far. Wind against you, rain hitting you, no matter. This is the motivation to keep going. You have started, made it quite far, the breeze is nice, even it is against you. You can't quit now - you must finish. 

 

The brilliance of the color of the flowers was just enough brightness to help get me through. Plus, the second flower that is not quite open in the picture above - that was blooming today. Two beautiful purple Iris. In the end, it was worth it. I am better for finishing, better for not giving up, better for getting out there. 

 

This is my Friday Find, the beautiful purple Iris there in the 'wild', plus the Motivation to Keep Going. May your Friday have a wonderful 'find' in it. It is there, you can find it, sometimes you just need that splash of color and a nice strong breeze.