Ian and I just finished the Douglas Frank Maier 1/2 Marathon. I was especially proud of Ian, not only was this his first 1/2 but he also beat me by 5 minutes. We have been trying to do at least 1 long run (10+ miles) on the weekend and today it felt like all the hard work paid off (we finished in the top ten for our flight).

In Sept we are going to be running the Klondike relay race from Alaska to Canada. Both of us have long distances, Ian 13.9 and mine 16 miles so continuing with the distance running is a must (as long as our knees and hips hold up).

Today I was struck by the camaraderie of all the runners. Each time we passed (or were passed) people would offer supportive encouragements and sentiments. I enjoyed coming up with new ways to say the same things.  Of course towards the end all I could do was clap, I needed the spare breath if I was going to hit my goal time.

However, in-between my salutations and many hills my mind kept wondering back to the fighting in the Middle East and Gaza.  This issue has become ever present in my mind lately as Ian and I personally know a young adult, Hitham, who recently returned to Gaza after spending the last year here in Juneau. At the end of the race I saw his sponsor who told me that he had lost 5 members of his family last week. This war is so tragic and spilling over with the decaying of human potentials.  I wish I could do more.

Ian at the top of Mt Juneau

Some say that it will never resolve, I hope that they are wrong. Still, I do believe that until we can embrace an active nonviolent life nothing will change. For most of us, learning to become non-violent with ourselves is the first step. This means no longer nurturing the violence within us, embracing unconditional love towards others, persistently pursing truth, radically forgiving those who hurt us, steadfastly resisting every form of evil, and even be willing to accept suffering in the struggle for justice without the desire for retaliation. It saddens me that there are some of us who still do not understand their claim as sons and daughters of the God of Peace, and do not hear their call to go forth as peacemakers in this world.  I really should re-read the Sermon on the Mount and practice its truths more.

Taking active nonviolence further, it also suggests that we no longer manifest violence towards others or treat animals and the earth so violently. It means we no longer choose to remain powerless in the face of the world's injustices, war making, nuclear weapons and destructive self serving policies. In all the humanitarian novels that I have read, in all the history books, and in each active nonviolent grassroots movement one thing is the same, they all started with one person (think Martin Luther King and Gandhi).

A prairie dog that we saw at the top of Mt. Juneau

A mother Tarmagon trying to go on the hike with us. She had several little babies with her. 

There really are two directions that you go in life, two forces at work: growth and decay or violence and nonviolence. When we continually expand in growth and non violence eventually our expansion encompasses all. At this point you can feel the pain of the world, the lines of Self blur into the realm of Humanity as a whole. And in our growth we become lighter. Carrying around sorrow, depression, anger, jealousy, hate, etc really does weigh you down. I don't recommend that you try it, but most of us know that it really does! However in releasing these things and exchanging them for love, gratitude, forgiveness, you become lighter and lighter until the lines of Us vs Them are blurred. And tell me who among us doesn't want to weigh less?

I think about Love expanding and dispersing, such the opposite of collecting and hoarding. As it comes in it goes, as it fills so it also radiates out.

Working on losing your individuality and becoming nonviolent is hard but as we become less identified with ourselves and realize our inheritance as children of the God of Peace I really believe that not only does our soul become lighter and more free, but we will also change the world.

Blessings, Love, and Peace.
 -Sarah