You Cannot Run From Regret

Don’t bother trying to do it.

Sneakers laced tight, he takes off as fast as he can go, Hoping with every step, every beat of his heart to lose the memories of things he should have done but didn’t. Determined sprinter swings onto the main street, feet pounding pavement In the rhythm of forgotten heartache and lost long dreams.

She pulls away from lovely hands braiding beloved hair, Charges out the back door, grabbing the dog’s leash, freeing him from boring, Both of them escaping droning everyday mistakes, mishaps, and blunders. Feet pound the rough street, hand waves to neighbors, eyes focused ahead In the rhythm of forgotten heartache and lost long dreams.

Dodging, panting, feet slapping street in confident and eager tempo, Brave runners dare unknown, leaping over potholes, avoiding hazards That would slow them down, get in the way of outrunning themselves. Memories hurl hot breath on necks, poisonous doubts urge rest to the weary In the rhythm of forgotten heartache and lost long dreams.

“That day, for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run. So I ran to the end of the road. And when I got there, I thought maybe I’d run to the end of town. And when I got there, I thought maybe I’d just run across Greenbow County. And I figured, since I run this far, maybe I’d just run across the great state of Alabama. And that’s what I did. I ran clear across Alabama. For no particular reason I just kept on going. I ran clear to the ocean. And when I got there, I figured, since I’d gone this far, I might as well turn around, just keep on going. When I got to another ocean, I figured, since I’d gone this far, I might as well just turn back, keep right on going.” — Forrest in Forrest Gump

Forrest: [running] I had run for 3 years, 2 months, 14 days, and 16 hours. [he stops and turns around] Young Man Running: Quiet, quiet! He’s gonna say something! Forrest: I’m pretty tired… I think I’ll go home now. {From Forrest Gump)

You can run, but you cannot hide. — Variation of quote by Joe Louis

When you get tired of running, evading, and pretending you can outrun Who you are, what you’ve lived, and what you’ve done, Come tell me your running stories (and your stopping running ones, too.)

When Forrest Gump asks his mother the question that won’t leave him alone, she loves him enough to tell him hard-won truth:

Forrest: What’s my destiny, Mama? Mrs. Gump: You’re gonna have to figure that out for yourself.

Tell the truth, the whole truth with nothing left out, not the bad, not the good, not that stuff you can’t figure out.

That is the only story worth telling:

The one only you can tell.

(No running necessary.)