Sunday, March 03, 2013

"Forsaking Soreness..."

There are always subtle choices to be made when adventuring out there... In the ways and means we each choose for our own paths. Especially knowing all the while we will need to forsake soreness.
We press past our perceived physical limitations so many times.
When mountaineering, hiking, and paddling, we deny the discomforts and refuse to give in to whatever pain is often present.
Being tired and sore is a price of admission we have each committed to pay, as we break away from whatever soreness used to mean to us. When preparing and training, we already know that it not just about pain & gain, but respectfully, purposefully, guiding ourselves past those prior points of reference.
As many have mused before, and as I have always held closely to, we would rather be worn out than not have gone, and soreness simply tells us we are chipping away at the rust of it all...
While forsaking such soreness, we do not withdraw our enthusiasm, nor renounce our intentions - we simply refuse to allow such fatigue and physical discomfort to make us abandon our chosen adventure objectives. We will not desert our goals for wandering out there.
We have broken away from more commonly held notions, because we know in our hearts that the toll & price of the pain of regret is much higher than the costs of our efforts. For if we relinquish what is truly important to us, if we give up on what is distinctly meaningful for each of us - then we have forsaken so much more than soreness..... DSD
Dedicated to all those who keep going, putting one foot in front of the other...

2 comments:

Jeff said...

"we would rather be worn out than not have gone"

Amen!

With each succeeding year, as more earned wrinkles appear on my well-worn face, as seemingly only the silver strands are the ones that don't fall out in the shower, the soreness is a friendly reminder that I must get out to the wild places.

Fatigue is a reward, tiredness a spiritual lift. It means I have done something today, something that has cleansed my lungs, and my heart, and my mind.

I gladly trade the soreness for the richness that is given to me.

Thanks D.

Unknown said...

Hi Jeff,
We are very much kindred spirits when it involves such perspectives! Not withstanding wrinkles, silver strands, and these old knees in particular.
I very much like how you muse about this with your comment...
D