No, I am not talking about the movie that pre-stole my blog post title. I am talking about the annual UB walk for health. This years theme was, "I don't want to be a walking billboard for the Tobacco Industry."
I got the email the day before advising that the walk would start at 0600 at the Admin Building. Sure enough, when I arrived, there were people there. I was a bit surprised, given the early hour and the penchant for tardiness. I was asked if I were walking, and told to sign in and get a t-shrt. Wow, that's a nice surprise.
On the dot of 6:40 we began to follow the Police Car along with the Police Marching Band. Connected with the walk was a Health Fair at Main Mall, downtown. So when we headed out I thought that might be our destination.
Nope we turned left and walked along the West boundary of UB. Oh, I guess we'll walk down and turn in the South UB gate. Sort of a token walk.
When we got to the intersection, instead of turning left, we kept straight south. Oh, Adding another block to make it a real walk I thought. Instead of turning left, we kept going. Oh, Oh, Adding second block to make it a real walk I thought. another block later, and oh, adding a third block to make it a real walk I thought.
After about 7 blocks I noticed that the Minister of Health had dropped out of the walk and was waiting for his car to pick him up. He was maybe a year or two younger than me, and a bit overweight.
At about 10 blocks I finally asked someone where we were headed. "Down to the Old Lobatse Road and then we'll make a right to walk back to the Parliament, and then to Main Mall." Hmm, that's a bit more than I bargained for, but I'm in better shape than most of the walkers, so no worries.
We walked for two solid hours at a reasonably good pace, all 80+ of us. I figure we covered between 6 and 8 miles.
Oh, adding another block would have made it a real walk I thought.
I hung around for the post-walk stretching. Then I hung around for the program, including one of the longest prayers I have ever heard, and it was in Tswana. My next-door neighbor, Dean of the Medical School, was the next speaker, so I listened to his "introductory remarks."
The day was slipping by. I had already missed my weight workout. The quickest way back was to run...
Fortunately we had walked in a big circle and I was only a couple miles from our apartment.
Sometimes in life, a stroll becomes a hike, which becomes a journey, which becomes survival. It didn't get that extreme in this case, but the walk was a lot longer than I envisioned it.
Such is life. What looks like a stroll can turn into survival. In times like these we need to remember:
Sounds too simple? Sounds trite? Sounds like cliches?
Well maybe, but the principles are still true. Now go give somebody a hug.
I got the email the day before advising that the walk would start at 0600 at the Admin Building. Sure enough, when I arrived, there were people there. I was a bit surprised, given the early hour and the penchant for tardiness. I was asked if I were walking, and told to sign in and get a t-shrt. Wow, that's a nice surprise.
On the dot of 6:40 we began to follow the Police Car along with the Police Marching Band. Connected with the walk was a Health Fair at Main Mall, downtown. So when we headed out I thought that might be our destination.
Nope we turned left and walked along the West boundary of UB. Oh, I guess we'll walk down and turn in the South UB gate. Sort of a token walk.
When we got to the intersection, instead of turning left, we kept straight south. Oh, Adding another block to make it a real walk I thought. Instead of turning left, we kept going. Oh, Oh, Adding second block to make it a real walk I thought. another block later, and oh, adding a third block to make it a real walk I thought.
After about 7 blocks I noticed that the Minister of Health had dropped out of the walk and was waiting for his car to pick him up. He was maybe a year or two younger than me, and a bit overweight.
At about 10 blocks I finally asked someone where we were headed. "Down to the Old Lobatse Road and then we'll make a right to walk back to the Parliament, and then to Main Mall." Hmm, that's a bit more than I bargained for, but I'm in better shape than most of the walkers, so no worries.
We walked for two solid hours at a reasonably good pace, all 80+ of us. I figure we covered between 6 and 8 miles.
Oh, adding another block would have made it a real walk I thought.
I hung around for the post-walk stretching. Then I hung around for the program, including one of the longest prayers I have ever heard, and it was in Tswana. My next-door neighbor, Dean of the Medical School, was the next speaker, so I listened to his "introductory remarks."
The day was slipping by. I had already missed my weight workout. The quickest way back was to run...
Fortunately we had walked in a big circle and I was only a couple miles from our apartment.
Sometimes in life, a stroll becomes a hike, which becomes a journey, which becomes survival. It didn't get that extreme in this case, but the walk was a lot longer than I envisioned it.
Such is life. What looks like a stroll can turn into survival. In times like these we need to remember:
- G^d is Sovereign.
- G^d loves us enough that while we were yet sinners, The Christ died for us.
- This life is short, and whatever happens good or bad, will soon be o'er.
- James 1 tells us that we ought to "Count it all joy when you encounter various trials".
- We need to be engaged in sincere fellowship, so that when a stroll turns ugly, we can be comforted and encouraged.
Sounds too simple? Sounds trite? Sounds like cliches?
Well maybe, but the principles are still true. Now go give somebody a hug.
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