Marlow's Musings 7/14/24
Insights, adventures and fun stuff from this week.
Audio narration by David Marlow
Standing along the Terminal Moraine, you can almost imagine the wall of ice that once dominated this part of the world.
I often run the Ice Age Trail, which represents where the glaciers stopped their advance ages ago.
Left behind by the glaciers were the rolling hills and marshes of Wisconsin, like the picture above. When I first started running, a friend from another state advised that I add some hill work to my runs. “I’m in the Kettle Moraine area; there are nothing but hills where I live.”
Since my running rebirth, I’ve spent 14 summers climbing the hills around my home. Early on, there was one spot with a tough incline that I walked up rather than run. Over time, walking became running, and I’d feel every step up the grade.
With my Kaizen approach, the run/walk became more running than walking, and distances grew longer. One day, I was feeling particularly good in a runner’s zone when I realized I had already climbed that hill.
It took no extra effort or focus. I didn’t even realize I had come to that point in my path. That’s when this insight came to me.
They are hills…until they aren’t.
They are hills until one day, you’ve grown enough they are no longer hills.
Growth comes from the hills, in running and in life. Unfortunately, for that growth to happen, you must be willing to start at the hill's low point.
Climbing from the bottom of those hills defines who we'll be at the top.
In case you missed it…
This week, there were two Ikigai Thoughts for Today:
The first…Hills
I shared something simple to ponder that kicked off the theme for this week.
“They are hills…until they aren’t.” Many people shared it prompted a profound run of pondering for them.
The second…Metaphor for Life
An exploration of embracing your passions and interests to live life to the fullest.
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This week's Coffee Contemplation: Shu Ha Ri…
One of my deepest explorations in a Coffee Contemplation and well worth it. This is the key to learning anything.
I'll say this at this point because most of this entire musing is about running; I use running as a metaphor or as an example. You do not have to run to live your Ikigai. That's my Ikigai, and it's my encouragement to find what works for you.
So if you don't like running, it's okay. You can ignore that part of it. I want you to grasp the lessons and make the connections to things you like.
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Comment of the Week:
This week’s comment came from Amanda on Metaphor for Life. Finding those things where we can express our Ikigai.
Here’s what she shared…
For me it’s journaling. And gardening. And making. All ways I live out my Ikigai.
This was my latest attempt at making. The best part is I got to be my best me as I did it! And I get to be reminded every time I look at it of who I am and what I’m here to do!
The ‘this’ Amanda is referring to is pictured below, which is also a beautiful metaphor for Ikigai.
Quote I’m Pondering
This thought is from Halldór Laxness…
“Where the glacier meets the sky, the land ceases to be earthly, and the earth becomes one with the heavens; no sorrows live there anymore, and therefore joy is not necessary; beauty alone reigns there, beyond all demands.”
Interesting Thing I Saw this Week
Can you imagine being 104 years old and still making a living hunting lobsters?
Well lobsters better look out because Virginia Oliver — Maine’s famous “Lobster Lady” is still at it. According to the article, “She’s been trapping the crustaceans for almost a century and is ready to catch some more this summer.
Oliver has renewed her commercial lobster license for this season, which usually runs from June to October, and plans to go lobstering again this year.”
Side note: her helper on the boat is her son, who is in his 80’s!
In the video documentary made a few years ago, she shares that she likes to go out on the boat three days a week but doesn’t want to go five because that’s like a regular job.
Enjoy getting to know Virginia’s Ikigai story.
Final Thoughts
This week, I’ve encountered many new metaphorical hills that I’ve never climbed before. Reframing them from hills to mounds of opportunity has helped.
It is easy to forget how far we’ve come at times. This week, I’ve focused on reminding myself of prior hills that are no longer obstacles because I’ve grown.
Like those hills, the ones I’m climbing now will be hills until they aren’t.
Quest well.
It’s always a great inspiration to read your Ikigai wisdom. The one this week is particularly important for me because I have several hills that I need to climb over and over again until they won’t be.
Some of the hills might not be mine to climb, some will. I’m trying to figure that one out.
You lost me at “run”. 😁.