Raising Maine

We all need reminders of the power of working hard and taking risks and reaching for more. This week it is my nine year old who has been nudging me to remember how important it is to "keep on keeping on."

Aaron was very excited about his first race of the season at Royal River Park in Yarmouth this week on Wednesday. He's quite the veteran runner now -- this is his ninth season (he's run in both the fall and spring seasons since he was five) and his second year running the 3/4 mile.

He started out strong and determined. This is a relatively new side of Aaron. He used to be content just to run a race. Now I see him trying to be the first out of the gate.



He was definitely tired at the end of the race, but he kicked up a last bit of energy in the last hundred yards...



...stretching his legs a little longer in order to pass one more runner just before before reaching the finish line.



He ended up tenth if twenty-eight -- ninth if you take into consideration that one of the runners took a short cut off of the course -- with an all-time best time of 5:39. "I shaved off twenty-six minutes, mom!"

This morning Aaron and I took our regular Friday walk while his brother was taking part in second grade PE at the elementary school. He and I have had some great conversations during these 45 minute sojourns, and today was no exception. While we were walking he said, "You know mom? I think I'll always be a runner. I like that I can work hard and get better. It's something I'm really proud of."

This from my kid for whom no athletic skill has ever come easily.

It occurs to me that he's already learned an important lesson that some people never learn in a lifetime.