Tuesday, 4miles around downtown DC; Wednesday, 8miles to the Capitol and on the Mall; Thursday, 5miles on White House run; Friday, sunny rest day; Saturday, rainy rest day; Sunday, 15miles with Fred and Bridget; Monday, rest

For the better part of a decade, people have wandered in and out of my life.  This happens for a number of reasons.  Sometimes it’s moving 3,000 miles or as few as 3.  Sometimes it’s a career shift, schedule change, new hobby interest or altered relationship status.  There was a bit of relationship wandering this weekend.  Some walked out, others wandered in and I lingered with some of my favorites.

I was thankful that Fred wandered back in time for my Sunday morning long run.  Fred and I were introduced by a mutual friend a little more than a year ago, but had lost touch.  Luckily, Fred called to ask about our mutual friend’s birthday, and we caught up enough so I remembered he was a runner.  He quickly agreed to run on Sunday and got me through 9 miles on the Mall.  It was a beautiful morning, and a great chance to reconnect.  It’s amazing how quickly the miles go by when you’re learning about the opportunities that lie ahead for a friend and the challenges they have overcome since you last spoke.

The same can be said for a friend you see often.  You get to be a part of the smaller details of those challenges and opportunities.  After running with Fred, I still had 7 miles to go, so I headed across town to meet Bridget.  She cheerfully greeted me outside her apartment, and we decided to tackle the slight incline up Connecticut Avenue.  I could not have asked for a better running partner and friend to help me physical and mentally get through those 5 miles.  Bridget’s constant support and warrior encouragement are uplifting and inspiring.

As part of my recovery mode “training,” I lingered with a few friends: Phil, Mitali, Lauree, Kim, Molly, Brian and Jerry.  I enjoyed every moment of egg coloring, random grocery shopping, birthday celebrating, roof deck sitting, errand running and room cleaning with you all this weekend.  When I saw this quote, it resonated with me:

When the world lets you down, you should always be able to depend on family.

I was reminded that family comes in many different forms & I’m thankful for my friends who treat me like family.