Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Skill or stupidity?

Push Gunner into a swift trot in the stiff sunshine. He is energetic, and as we turn the corner up Second Creek, he breaks into an enthusiastic lope. At that exact moment, a small black fly darts directly into my eyeball.

At this point, I consider slowing down. After all, a large foreign object wiggling its way under my contact lens is cause for concern.

However, it's a big bug. It should be relatively easy to dislodge. Plus it doesn't hurt, so I'm probably safe to keep loping.

Thus, I jab a finger into my eye to remove the nasty offender, and Gunner runs blithely on as Gunner does, tripping over rocks and throwing himself around corners. The bug works its way out, and I sit up, triumphant in my ability to see with both eyes!

It is at this point that I recognize the ridiculosity of what I had just done. I've spend all summer watching dudes cling with their legs, lean forward awkwardly, concentrate with all their ability to remember to breathe while learning to lope. Here I am, performing complicated eyeball surgery on myself while loping up a rocky, hilly trail. If I was anyone else in the world, this was a task I couldn't have completed. It was one of those moments when you realize just how lucky you are to be you.

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