That was my mantra today as my feet hit the pavement and my shin splints decided to say hello. I have rambled on about running before, but today I was able to stay in the mile and the minute. It is June in the lovely Berkshire Hills and June means horseflies. These pesky little creatures love carbon dioxide, movement and heat, the three things that are abundant while running. They are also a lot faster than I am. I have tried to runaway from them, and they still fly ahead, waiting for me down the path, as I sprint in an effort to escape. Standing in the middle of the road flailing does not work as well. The only thing that worked was to focus on my breath, come back into my body and focus on my run. Only then was I able to slap my hand down on my arm at the correct moment and make contact. Normally a peaceful person, I have come to terms with the fact that I will kill these pests. Give me spiders, snakes, moles and mice, and I will cohabitate. I will eat tofu and drink soy milk, but I draw the line here. They did however, help me to stay mindful today, to feel my muscles instead of zoning out, and to stay present to the nature that surrounds me when I run outside. If I can stay present for four miles, anything can be done.
● About Me
I wrote and published my first blog post on May 26, 2009. I was about to turn 36 and had been accepted to Mount Holyoke College as a non-traditional student, on my way to completing a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Medieval Studies. I had managed, finally, to know what general direction I was traveling. As a self proclaimed voracious reader I knew that I needed a vocation that would allow me to engage daily with words: reading words, writing words, and hearing words. I also needed to eat, so I navigated my way to a teaching position and I began to fine tune my craft. I love to teach and I love my students, but I also needed to continue to hone my own literary technique, voice, and style. I continued my education in order to delve deeper into literature, making connections, and most definitely, writing. I gained more confidence as a reader as well as a writer of both creative and analytical text. That first blog post in 2009 is short, the writing average, and the topic mundane, but as I continued to learn from other writers I began to understand that to become a better writer I needed to write more. Each time I write and release a poem, a post, or a story, I hone my skills. I invite you along for the ride, for this journey of mine as I attempt to wrangle a wealth of ideas and competing directions into an organized freshly paved path to publication. I might get distracted along the way, but sometimes those detours lead us to amazing views and new friends.
Laura Smith Writer 
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