Turn, Turn, Turn

I have one more lot of Oz trip photos to put up but while I get them rounded down to a the essentials I've got something else to share with you. I guess it fits with my motivational themes which haven't featured much of late.


As you may know Sam and I ran the HBF Run For A Reason on our second day in Perth, May 22nd. Here is a photo of Sam and I at about kilometer 5 of 14, about to enter the Graham Farmer Tunnel, or "Polly Pipe" to locals.





I know - eat your heart out Bjorn Borg! I would've been so cool in the 70's!


Anyway, the running got progressively less frequent once the run was over and it got to a point last week that I had only run once in a month. So I turned over a new leaf (again) on Sunday and ran 4.5 miles. I then ran another 2.5 yesterday, and both times I was pushing myself pretty hard, feeling the need to punish myself for letting what had become a positive habit slip to the wayside. 


Subsequently I'm in a fair bit of pain today. Ironically I was in no pain whatsoever after the nearly 9 miles I ran for the HBF run. More throrough stretching and hydrating for that event is one reason but the fact that'd I'd jogged 3 - 5 miles every single day for a week or more and most days in a couple of months before that was the bigger reason.


So I'm also learning not to be so hard on myself for having to "turn a new leaf" again. 


I adjusted my perspective after thinking more about the saying, where it came from and what it really means. I then condensed and sculpted (to make it sound more pretentious) my thoughts in the following poem. Have a listen to me reciting it on the MP3 player while you read along. 


Then maybe you will also think more about what "turning over a new leaf" really means.




Turn, Turn, Turn

I was pondering today upon a saying many know

It's recited with excited vows and this is how it goes

"I've turned over a new leaf" and this belief is worth a pile

But to not think of the many implications is denial

Let's consider first from where it is this verse came into being 

It was based on books, the way each page is like a new beginning

But you must agree a book isn't much to read with just one page

And this implies that many times we must turn this leaf again.

Now, even if you don't believe that etymology is true 

And prefer to just infer the more apparent meaning you

Will still find this situation seeming somewhat like a clone

'cause when did you last see a leaf left wholly on it's own?

So, you see? You need to always be prepared to turn the leaf 

As frequently as needed and not rest on the belief

That your decision meant that corners never more need to be turned

When in fact you should decide that there is always more to learn

'cause for all new leaves or corners turned another will appear

So be intent to turn again - you only crash if you don't steer