Running Towards the Goal

Rachel’s Randomness
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"Endure. You can be the outcast. You can make the choice that no one else will face - the right choice." – Alfred Pennyworth

Well I’m happy to report that I made it through week one of D.C.! This has been a day of solace, reflection and relaxation. Michal and I did manage to get a lot of work done and run a little over two miles.

This afternoon I worked on editing a video clip and I began to hear the gentle, soothing notes of the Emma soundtrack. It almost surprised me but then I remembered how Michal was in love with the fictional Mr. Knightley. I prefer Mr. Darcy myself, so it’s good that we are in love with different men – haha! Turning my head and smiling at her I said, “A party is a party, but a party on a winter’s eve….I would rather fall short by two than exceed by two.” We both laughed, remembering the ridiculous Mr. Elton.

Michal and I are pretty much in sync when it comes to knowing the same music, appreciating the same authors, loving the same musicals, and quoting the same movies. We shock each other at how we can finish each other’s sentences or finish off a movie quote. While crossing the street one day, Michal said, “I’m too young to die!” (It is a quote from The Legend of Zorro). Laughing, I finished off the second part of the quote: “I have my whole life ahead of me!” I swear people around us, if they don’t already, are going to get sick of us or think us extremely strange creatures. We even randomly burst into chorus and sing, “Jessie’s Girl,” “Sobbin’ Women,” and “Going Courtin’.” The last two songs are from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Good times.

One of my goals while I’m here is to build up my cardio endurance. Michal is training for a half marathon and we both push each other to exercise, even though it feels like we walk around the entire city ten times. We run two miles this afternoon – we ran past Iwo Jima – wow, who gets to do that every day? It felt good to get my legs pumping in the cool evening air that promised rain. It is a whole new thing for me to go running across crosswalks and through traffic. You can’t help but feel you’re in your own version of Live Free, Die Hard, as your blood is pumping, your breathing is labored, the music is pounding against your ears, and you’re on high alert for cars as you cross the street.

I love how my roommate and I have such similar tastes – a match made in heaven – haha! Michal loves the story of Emma as I mentioned earlier. I told her about the newest Emma that BBC had recently released and she watched it and loved it – I was pleased.

A revelation (you could call it a conviction) occurred to me as I was showering tonight that blew me away. I just have to share it with you all and put it down on paper so I don’t forget. I promise I don’t mean it to offend and it’s for me to tell myself as well. Well, here it goes. People, I think I can safely assume, drink mostly to the point of getting drunk, to get some sort of relief, fulfillment, and happiness which is lacking in their life. Why then, as Christians, do we do the same? We shouldn’t! God and our relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ, should consume all of that emptiness, discontentment, the lack of happiness and fulfillment. We should be vibrant, filled with joy, so satisfied with who we are in Him that people around us should be asking for the reason for the hope that is within us.

Well that’s my sermon of the week and I’ll end on that I think; that, and how I don’t know how long I can survive in the world of journalism without translating everything around me in a spiritual light. It’s frustrating and shallow how we are so ready to make everything merely a matter of scientific fact. People shy away from the word: sin. I’ve done enough venting for one night. Tomorrow is going to be homework reading day and then church. Hope each of you has an awesome Sunday!

Peace out,
Rachel Duke