Has this been a trying week for you? It certainly has for me. I got an email today from the organizers of the Baystate Marathon and realized it’s only two months away!

How do you keep your head about you when all around you are losing theirs?

I read that in one of my favorite books, “Harriet the Spy.” It’s a children’s book about a little girl that keeps a journal ( sound familiar?) I read it 56 times in grade school. I had a contest with another kid in class as to who could read it more and I won. Anyway, in the book, her nanny, a very sophisticated older woman, quoted that to her and she loved it. It seemed to fit my life this week, as many things seem to crash around me and the universe was tempting me to fall on the floor in a heap and just start bawling.

So, instead, tonight, I donned my awesome running shoes and went for a run. At night. I usually run in the morning but with things being so crazy this week, it was just not possible. I felt great and all in all, things are progressing nicely. But I was thinking about the Olympic athletes as I ran. How do they keep their goal in sight when all about them, people are trying to distract them, things are competing for their attention and life keeps getting in the way? Surely it takes constant re-focus and reminding oneself of what’s important.

This week has been filled with potholes and pitfalls. My nutrition has not been the best either. But I will use the weekend to try a longer run (13 miles) and eat healthy.

One of the core Buddist principles is the idea that you always can “begin again.” Thank god for that.

Sleep well.