Just because you’re running doesn’t mean you’re running away.

From something.

From anything.

It doesn’t mean that you’re running to hide. To vanish. To deny reality, or evade your existence, or escape something that you can’t change.

Just because you’re running doesn’t mean you can’t accept the way things are. It doesn’t mean you’re trying to re-live the past, or deny the present, or avoid the future. It doesn’t mean you’re avoiding responsibility or hiding from “that’s just the way things are.”

Just because you’re running doesn’t mean you’re running away.

But that’s what they’ll say.

The ones who don’t understand. The the friends and family who just want the best for you — the ones who only want you to feel peace and contentment, to be safe and comfortable, to be happy and still.

That’s what they’ll say. Because they cannot see what you’re running towards.

The horizon. Love. God.

Your purpose ignited. Your spirit on fire. A soul ablaze. Your genius, awakened.

A most beautiful tomorrow that every human being so desperately longs to see ascend in the distance, to rise up, up, up to forever hover over her head — the tomorrow that we dream of that can only be born from running, from daring, from living with tenacity and heart, from being the most “you” that you possibly can be, today.

The ones who don’t understand that you’re running because life is short, and walking won’t get you where you need to go.

This is dedicated to the dreamers who can’t let go. The fighters for themselves — the ones who have no opponent, but stand in the ring, still. The believers and defiers. The go-getters and seers. The lovers and builders. The damp shoulders and bloodied-knucklers.

The ones who stand up. For themselves. For the little guy. For the ones who can’t. For the ones who never will again.

This is dedicated to the runners.

Lace up, friend. We have ourselves a long road to tread — and big, beautiful goals to chase.

Flickr photo credit: lcrf