The Runner

Photo from Google

Day after day she runs. With each step

She’s reminded of the time when she couldn’t even walk.

Deep dark days and infinite nights of horror

She’d lay in her bed praying that tomorrow would be different….better,

just waiting for some relief from the pain

Instead it got worse, couldn’t even sit……and then,

REPRIEVE.

So now she runs. She runs because she

Can. She runs away from age

with each step she fights for a little

More time for him

He embraces his “senior-ness” – she runs from it.

Never wanting to admit that time is moving

so quickly these days…….and so she runs

she runs for him, she runs for them, for freedom,

for time

Pressing on with measured steps,

Even though she’s so tired, she pushes on

Chasing life.

Death gaining momentum as the seasons pass.

She can’t let it catch her now

She knows that there will be no bargaining

If she’s caught. So as tired as she is, as achy

As her body feels, she keeps running

No time to waste. Every moment precious.

Gasping for air she needs more energy, she

Needs a better pace – so much to think about, so

Much to do.

It’s as if time caught her off guard she must have

Fallen asleep – dreaming dreams of futility

sleep paralysis overtaking her much too often

Stuck, immobile.

The weight of life holding her down she was

always fighting to wake up to get going…..so now she

runs ……afraid to rest for too long

Racing towards the sun, Just over the horizon

There must be something special waiting for her

She prays it’s sunlight – no more darkness

Too many wasted years – she did what she

Could, it seemed never enough….always

Something missing – never finding that straight

And narrow path……  disappointing others,

disappointing herself caught up in a circuitous

pattern going nowhere………so now she runs, being aware

Of every step of every breathe taken of every

Heartbeat – pulse racing can’t stop now almost

at the top….. she hears the sound of a trumpet not

too far in the distance and suddenly her steps

get lighter, easier and with a blink of an eye, she’s gone

caught up in the clouds – safe, protected she’s on her way.

Eternity in view.