“Mama, you need to start running.”

(this is my kind of running)

The Tornado & I were out ambling around Austin recently when she stopped abruptly, turned, looked at me and stated:

Mama, you need to start running.

Needless to say, since this sentiment was shared in her not soft five year old voice, it garnered more than a few horrified looks.

Horrified and, if I interpreted them correctly, Oh Ive been there, Sister!! glances.

I wasnt shocked.

It’s as we always talk about here:  the little people in our lives have ears and those little ears hear everything.

It wasnt until my public shaming  The Tornado’s remark I even realized I’d been walking around the house saying (to the husband. to myself. definitely not to her) I needed to start back running and not running a step.

In that public moment I had no answer and merely laughed her comment away.

The next morning (shes nothing if not tenacious) it started again. 

Mama when are you going to run?

Again I brushed her off, went about my morning routine and fully planned to plop my misfit arse happily on the recumbent bike with a trashy magazine.

Id be lying if I didnt share I thought to myself:

she’s 5. she’s not the boss of me.

But she persevered.

She strode purposefully up to me and announced:

OK Mama.  You’re going to wear this thing (she gestured wildly around my tatas which I assumed correctly was her sign for sports bra) & set up your camera on (more gesturing.  took me a while but this one was tripod) and film us so you can remember.

Still I continued with my morning routine.

Mama really. When are we going to run?

I did other stuff.  I ate breakfast.  Folded laundry.

Really Mama for how many minutes are we going to run? (her five year old voice grew loud with irritation. not unlike her mama’s when she knows she’s being purposefully ignored)

I think it was Oprah who once said (and I paraphrase) your life whispers to you and when you don’t heed it whispers louder until you do.

I know in my heart (I’ll spare you the rambling why) I need to start running.

My little person is shouting it.

And my world is whispering.

Loudly and generously.

(her repeated use of the word WE, when I know she’s not a fan of the boring no-purpose run, touched me beyond compare)

And Ive decided to listen.

So I ask you.

What’s your life whispering  these days?  And will today be the day you choose to listen?

Y

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