Tag: New Bedford

When You Run Your Own Race The Trophy Is Your Life

When You Run Your Own Race The Trophy Is Your Life

Seeing that number brought back the pain of that day.

I had three hours to finish and I wasn’t quite sure if I would. I came out of the final turn of my first half marathon and with one eye on the finish line and the other on the clock I knew it was going to be close. 

It was.

I made it.

And it hurt.

Going through a box of papers this week I found the race bib I had worn on that day. Number 156. It was a race I wish I had trained a bit differently for, but at age 59 I had officially completed the 13.1 mile distance the half marathon demanded of me. Dehydrated, sore, and legs like Jell-O, crossing that finish line was a joyful kind of pain I proudly earned every ounce of.

Coming in almost dead last in a field of 1,500 runners doesn’t sound very glorious but it was one of the greatest moments of my life. By the time I got to the finish line there were no balloons or Continue reading “When You Run Your Own Race The Trophy Is Your Life” →

Indignity, Indifference, And The Contemplation Of Freedom

Indignity, Indifference, And The Contemplation Of Freedom

“Man’s greatness consists in his ability to do and the proper application of his powers to things needed to be done.”  – Frederick Douglass

Honestly, it’s not something I give much thought to.

The contemplation of freedom.

Like breathing, I guess it’s one of those things I’ve always enjoyed which is probably an underlying reason as to why I simply take it for granted.

On a visit to the city of my birth I made an unscheduled stop to the recently-opened Abolition Row Park in New Bedford. It is a relatively small park with a very big story to tell. Abolition Row Park sits across from two important buildings, both of which have been designated as National Historic Landmarks. Both of these buildings played significant roles as stations in the Underground Railroad sheltering escaped Slaves in a city which was an abolitionist haven. It was here in 1838 that Frederick Douglass was able to secure his freedom.

I cannot do the story of Frederick Douglass justice, not in this short format. His was an extraordinary life, his voice as an orator, writer, publisher, and preacher a significant and powerful voice in the abolitionist movement globally.

One of the most striking elements to be found in Abolition Row Park is a statue of Douglass. It’s not a Continue reading “Indignity, Indifference, And The Contemplation Of Freedom” →