55K for 55 years

A poetic reflection for my birthday

This Substack post flows from our book Beyond the Politics of Contempt: Practical Steps to Build Positive Relationships in Divided Times. We are happy to announce we now have an audiobook version, with the authors reading our personal stories. It’s currently on Google Play and Spotify. More platforms will be available soon on our website.

Together Across Differences note: This week, we wanted to take a break from our book and the world of politics to focus on something that appears different— our passions, our personal challenges, our support from friends, and our resilience. However, we can bring these elements into any meaningful work we pursue in our life. This week we hear from co-author Becky Robinson. As you read her words, be thinking — What is your challenge? Who is supporting you through it right now?

Heading out for my ultra…

Becky writes on her Substack, For the Long Run:

To celebrate my milestone birthday later this month, I signed up to run the Thumb Coast Ultra 50K on April 25. I ran 5K prior to the official race start to meet my challenge of running 55K total. Here’s a poetic reflection I wrote and shared on Threads. I haven’t shared any writing in this space for a while, but this content feels relevant to the title of my publication, For the Long Run. This was a very long run, the longest of my life, over 34.5 miles total.

Here’s my poetic reflection:

The morning: chilly, brisk wind by the lake. We run inland where trees shelter a break and open up calm paths.

The feeling of freedom, strength to move steadily forward, enjoying conversations with friends-just-met, sharing stories of training and triumph.

Let’s journey together a while, matching strength with strength for as long as we will.

Then I’ll travel on alone, boosted by messages from friends far away, pinging courage across miles

To the phone in my pocket.

I am not alone now, though the only footfalls I hear are my own.

You are with me, carrying me forward with your love and encouragement.

With not many miles to go, in full circle, I am joined again by another just-met-friend who picks me up to brush me off when I fall.

She is the one who now speaks words of strength to me as we move along, more slowly now, to the finish, where loved ones await with cheers and embraces.

What a joy to spend a day this way, fresh air and the ground beneath our feet reminding us that we are alive. We are alive, strong, courageous, and complete.