Etch-A-Sketch

i am huffing and puffing
running by the lake near my home
i just got out of the gym
where i and others
continued the process
towards
strength, endurance, agility, and beauty


i noticed a few months ago that going to the gym and working out wasn't enough for me. i was gaining muscle but i wasn't loosing the fat that i wanted to loose. you see, besides getting stronger, i want to be more agile. and more chiseled. like Michelangelo's sculptures. it's one of the achievements i want to fulfill during my time here on earth.

so i started running
to get further along towards my achievement

and now here i am
huffing and puffing

laboring through my journey
looking ahead
trying to anticipate my course
trying to calculate my time
trying to maintain my speed
so that i can get to my house as soon as possible
so that i can finally rest

i look down at my watch
and i look up ahead


as i lift my eyes
i see a vintage bicycle
ridden leisurely by an elderly couple
the man, sitting on the front seat, slowly pedals while he speaks.
and the woman, sitting sideways behind him, listens with a most natural smile. they ride as if they have no where to go, no time to keep, no appointments to set, and... no more achievements to make.

i break my stride
i slow
and i stop
letting this beautiful
elderly couple ride by
i watch them diligently
in awe

wondering when
and how soon
in my lifetime
will i fulfill all my goals and achievements

so that i can finally achieve my ultimate
and final goal...
serenity.