Listening to the Small Voice

I didn’t notice the color of the grass along the side of the trail on the way going, but I guess that’s what happens when you’re engaged in conversation with a friend you haven’t seen in months – catching up on life, running, training, aches and pains, and races.

Early Saturday morning I got together with my friend Melody for my first trail run since December, and it would be her first trail run since finishing the Avalon 50 Mile race a couple of weeks ago. At least I think it was her first trail run since the race. Knowing her, she might’ve snuck one in when nobody was looking.

While a part of me kinda wanted a trail run, a part of me wasn’t quite sure. Truth be told, on Friday afternoon, I was to be heading out of town, but the torrential rain that day put a damper on my plans by creating an unsafe environment to drive in – namely, flooding in parts, and having water falling so hard, even having the windshield wipers moving at Mach speeds wasn’t fast enough.

Could it be the Universe wanted me to stay in town all along?

Later that day, I had conversed with Ultra Ordinary Running cohosts Angela and Melissa. We tend to text now and then to check in on one another, and that particular day was one that warranted it.

Angela said, “Listen to the still small voice.”

Melissa added, “…that voice is telling you that’s what you should do.”

They’re right. Absolutely right.

We all have these small voices inside of us directing us, even when we don’t think there is.

You ever have a thought pop in your head all of sudden, you don’t even know where it came from? It could be God. It could be the Universe. It could be the your Guardian Angels. It could be the tree down the street. It might even be the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, or Boogey Man. If you believe in any of these. Or not.

The small voice tells us maybe we should call a particular person, or maybe we should quit a job, or embark on a career change, or turn down a particular street, or start running, or stop running, sign up for that race, or no, don’t sign up for the race. And it can ever be faint, barely a whisper at times. But it’s there.

Most of the time we lead our busy lives by lining up the things we need to do day in, and day out. Every single day. We don’t take the time to just stop and be still. It’s difficult to when we have things to do: spending time with family, laundry, working, checking email, checking Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, checking email again, watching Netflix, and then back to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram…etc.

It’s hard for me to hear the small voice at times. The small voice that is in my head.

However, sometimes, and many times, that small voice is a feeling. An example is that feeling of dread that hits the pit of your stomach every Sunday evening at the thought of knowing the next day is Monday and having to go to a job you’re unhappy doing, or at a company you’re unhappy to be at.

That feeling is trying to tell you something. I know it’s talked to me at times.

While I’ve always tried to maintain an attitude of gratitude, especially when it comes to a job, I’ve also come to realize more and more, life is too short to not feel completely happy and fulfilled and love doing what I’m doing.

And this trail run, all 7.25 miles of it, was indeed just that, loving what I was doing!

Initially, I was planning on a solitary run, but then, out of the blue, I received a message from Melody, and from there my solo trek, turned into a fun run with a friend.

When we got out to the trail, the chill was immediate and the wind was brisk. Immediately I apologized for being slow.

Not knowing how my cough would react, I stocked up on cough drops, and wore the Buff garment I received from Javelina Jundred to try and block the chilled air from infiltrating my throat and lungs quickly. I’ll admit it sure does come in handy, and I look forward to wearing it more often.

Even while we conversed I was fully aware of how I was feeling. Slow and lacking fitness. But it felt so good to be back on the dirt again.

The trails can be a muddy mess the day after it rains, but the trails were great. Eh, there were a few waterlogged areas but nothing we couldn’t maneuver around. It was perfect!

And the mountains looked so beautiful! I don’t know if it had do with the fact I haven’t been on them for a while or not, but they looked absolutely beautiful.

Upon our return back is when we noticed the grass lining along the trail. It was so green! So bright, almost fluorescent green!! My camera could not capture it’s essence, but I don’t think I’ve ever noticed this color of green on the trails before. I found it magnificent! Thank you rain!

One of my goals this year is to get better at listening to the small voice because as I told Angela and Melissa, “The small voice definitely nudges in the right direction.”

It sure does and I do believe that.

And I’m certainly grateful the small voice nudged me to the trail.

Thank you for reading!