Dragons

"Fairytales are more then true, not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten." - G.K.Chesterton

I love that quote. When I read it the first thing that came to mind was running. But then it took on a mind of it's own and other thoughts started to jump in. So I want to know..what are the dragons in your life?

I have many. Small ones and big ones. Some days, it's the pile of laundry. You know the one. It starts off small, then before you realize it, it's a pile. No, a TOWER of laundry just waiting to be folded and put away. Or, other days it could be the dishes sitting in the sink. No matter how I try to have a clean sink, there's always that one fork or one spoon that manages to find it's way back into the sink. Then, on other days, my dragon could be the bills waiting to be paid, the groceries that need to be purchased, the missing sock I can NEVER find..the list goes on and on. Small dragons. Don't worry, they get bigger...

Cold mornings that I don't want to get out of bed and workout. Workouts that make my legs ache and wobble. Days when my arms or legs decide it's fun not to move because of MS. Friday nights full of uncontrolled shaking and shivers from medicine that's supposed to make me feel good..

But lately, it seems that my dragon is this: Negative thinking. When before I even start something, let's say running, I tell myself that I can't do it. It's always lurking in my head before each run. The one that makes me want to quit before I even start, sometimes before I even lace up my shoes. (Until I pull out the soundtrack to every ROCKY movie..then, things are put back into perspective.) It's that split second where I have to make a choice. I have to stop, take a breath, and tell myself, "YES I CAN!!". sometimes over and over and over, and then do. It's one thing to THINK..another to DO.

Dragons. They're everywhere! But like the quote says, they can be beaten..

There's a dragon out there for each of us. Sometimes more then one. But wow..what a feeling when we defeat it! I ran today. 2 miles of straight running. For me, I defeated the dragon.

What are your dragons? How do you beat them? How do you feel afterwards, when you know you accomplished what it was you set out to do?

Here's an example of someone beating their own kind of dragon..