Today’s prompt: DONE
Although I am not able to run right now, my social world is still FULL of runners and triathletes. These are relationships built over years … of Thursday night trail runs, Tuesday night intervals, and countless Saturdays toeing the line at races (then relaxing together afterward.
Something that comes along with hanging out with athletes in real life and online is all the motivational sayings.
Here’s this week’s: CAN’T STOP WON’T STOP #CSWS
In all honesty, #CSWS isn’t one of my favorites among the flood of motivational hashtags I see and hear over a week.
Before I get off the whiny horse, I had to stop so I did stop (running). #HTSDS doesn’t have the same ring as #CSWS.
But I know it isn’t to be taken literally, and it basically means “do what you love — break down ALL the barriers — keep going because stopping isn’t an option — and hold each other accountable to that.
#CSWS is the hashtag our community has used to support our friend Ron Nieto, who went to hospice Tuesday. He has had cancer for several years.
Now that he has been moved to hospice, he and his family are so much on my mind. It hasn’t been that long (a year) since we were a hospice family, first for several months at our home and then for the last week of my father-in-law’s life.
I didn’t know Ron well, and I had just started socializing with him a bit due to our mutual involvement in Team Red White and Blue right around the time he got diagnosed. I remember chatting with him following one of the amazing Gate to Gate runs at Eglin Air Force Base.
** end of five minutes **
But then life got in the way and we didn’t see each other that often (except on Facebook).
One day not all that long ago he posted “just come see me. I don’t need anything, just company.” (This is a paraphrase.) I wish I had made a point of visiting, even if we don’t know each other that well (how often do people actually ask for things specifically enough that we can know we are doing what they want?).
He also went out of his way to thank people for supporting him. After several friends participated in the Ride for Hope bicycle event in his honor a few weeks ago, he posted thanking them. And the volunteers who made the race happen. He was gracious and remembered the small things.
Ron may be done with triathlons, but we will never be done benefiting from the example he set.
#CSWS #RonStrong
My musical inspiration for today’s writing (hopefully I found the clean version considering this linkup is a faith-based thing!).
Welcome to this week’s Five Minute Friday. Our instructions, via creator Kate Motaung: “Write for five minutes on the word of the week. This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation.” (But I can’t resist spell checking, as you can imagine.)
Wife of one, Mom of two, Friend of many. My pronouns are she/her/hers.
Jen says
Honestly, I’d be down with making #HTSDS a thing. 😉 Sometimes we all need to be reminded that it’s okay to stop when you have to. Thanks for sharing Ron’s story.
Stopping by from FMF!
Paula Kiger says
I agree with you, Jen. Thank you for stopping by!
Tara says
Im so not a runner! Great post friend!
Paula Kiger (@biggreenpen) says
It’s not for everyone, for sure! Thanks for visiting.