In the beginning of a runner's life, he loves to run around the yard playing tag with his friends and chasing after the dog... running is just something inside of him that he has not quite realized yet.
Then he gets a little older and running becomes not just a hobby for children but a middle school sport in which, usually, there are no winners or losers, its just about playing the games. The runner enjoys his sport and has fun trying to jump over small hurdles or beating his friends around the track. But, when he gets to high school, the competition seems to get much more heavy and it is very important that you not only win your races but you also practice and cross train to be in good shape. In high school, admit it, we all thought it was the peak of our lives.. but the runner soon finds out about something called professional sports which, for the runner, is the Olympics. The high school runner dreams the big dreams and sets his heart on a direction that will lead him straight to the gold. So, he races, practices, jumps and falls, wins and loses, sweats and bleeds, and finally is snatched up by a college with a decent track program. What he thought was serious in High School now seems like the child's play that he did when he was younger. 
This is real work now - he has entered the big leagues and the more work he does and the harder he strives for what he wants, the more he sees that gold medal in a realistic way, realizing that the amount of work, training, money, effort, talent, and natural ability it would take to achieve this goal is nearly impossible. Now, he has to decide if he should abandon his dream or really go for it... but the problem is, life is going on either way. Now, not only does he have to consider his dream's affect on his life but also the lives of the people around him. What about his family? When he has to move across country to work at a training facility to become a better athelete, they will be losing a son, at least for a while. And what about the girl he's been dating for the last year or so? What if she doesn't want to move? What about her hopes and dreams - where was she planning on being in 5 years... following his butt around? And what about in 10 years when he is a washed up runner who may or may not have achieved his goal? Then what? 
I would say that right now, I'm at that point. Sure, nannying is not my "dream" or my olympic "gold medal", but it's a great job for me right now and I am taking the opportunity and moving across the country, away from my whole family and away from michael until christmas. All on my own in a city in which I know no one besides the family that hired me, and I just met them a few weeks ago. I guess I have taken a step back from myself, taken a deep breath and really looked, and what I saw was an arrogant, naiive girl who has no idea what she's getting herself into. But, I would like to believe that I an making a wise decision... I'm young, flexible, and still have the belief that I can do some good. It's just a big step - a big hurdle to have to jump and, like a runner, with each step I take running toward it, I hope and pray that I make it over ok... but I know that this is just the first of many big hurdles I will be jumping in the next few years... it's just a new-ish thing for me to have to make big kid decisions and have a big kid job and get up every morning and put my big girl pants on...I'm really going to miss my friends - my life - my family - my loves.
It's an odd thing, growing up. It is a beautiful thing but it fills me with an aching sadness deep down inside at the same time.
