Surfing

Life is not unlike the experience of riding waves in the ocean. During low tide, a person can essentially just float on his or her back and allow the ocean to ebb and flow in a warm comfort. However, when the tide comes up, it's a struggle. Despite a person's valient attempts to dig into the sand, the currents still pull the individual ever stronger. Every few waves, one comes and pounds down on the precarious swimmer, causing the hapless individual to do unintended somersaults. The swimmer surfaces with hair tussled, snots hanging out of the salt-drenched nose, only to be smacked down by the next succession.

Right now is high tide in my world. The tumult of work pressures pound away as I ride along on a ship navigated by a somewhat haphazard captain. The captain can't be questioned though. Unfortunately, mutiny is not an option. Meanwhile at home husband has been furiously preparing for the bar exam. Tonight I sent him off packing to his "host hotel." Upon departure, he nearly forgot his keys, his wallet and his watch. Normally, husband rides low tide and somehow has mastered sun and moon to maintain an inner sense of calm through most situations. He is my rock. The seaweed content to ride the waves listlessly, rather than the one to dig in. Yet, high tide has pulled us both. After Wednesday at 4:30 p.m., the tide will turn with the conclusion of the examination, if we can both just weather the anxious agony of the next few days. While he churns in his inner tumult, I share his pain sympathetically. Being the compulsive worrier, I worry right now as he is probably checking into his hotel whether he has enough pens, the things necessary to get into the exam, the will to get up on time and not miss the start, etc. I worry that he'll get a flat tire on the way to the testing site which should not be far from his hotel. I've not shared my worry with him because it would make him just worry more.

Water seems to be a theme permeating life especially given the weather conditions. I've been trying to ensure that I consume enough fluids for hot weather runs. Thus far I've managed morning runs on these truly warm days, rather than evening runs when it would still be in the low 90s. Tomorrow morning I'll wake up early for my first tempo run of the schedule. I still haven't exactly determined exactly how I'll execute that (go to a track, brave the dark morning streets, etc.). I tried to drink today during work. In the past two and a half hours I've probably consumed about 64 ounces of water and will probably finish the evening with some sports drink.

We continue to shed tears over our beloved cat, Riley. I never imagined that losing her would be this hard. Husband and I both catch sight of something out of the corner of our eye thinking it's Riley, only to finds it's a dog toy dormant on the floor. Early one morning husband woke up at 5:30 a.m. thinking that he felt her jump up on the bed. Sometimes I hear her little purrrup that she used to make when she'd hop up or down somewhere. I've cried more over Riley than I have over any human companion or emotional situation. Nonetheless, I gained significant life lessons through my seven years with my feline friend. We have much to learn from cats, especially the importance of naps.

Right now I'm listening to another Taj Mahal album entitled Sacred Island. If you don't know Taj Mahal, you really ought to. Check him out in the blues section of your local music store or download him to your iPod.