Carefree highway, let me slip away on you
Carefree highway, you seen better days
The morning after blues, from my head down to my shoes
Carefree highway, let me slip away, slip away on you
-- Gordon Lightfoot
I do not consider myself a carefree person. I have been The Worrier all my life. There is a deep line between my eyes glaring back at me from the mirror like a battle scar of anxiety. I've planned, I've budgeted, I've obsessed, I've fretted, I've lost sleep, I've overthought, I've worried...over everything.
And running? Well, I worry about that too. Is this the right pace? What if I get injured? Am I running too much? Too little? Is this training plan working? Is my nutrition in order? Should I do more cross training? Will it matter if I run one more mile? Do I need new shoes? Should I weight train? I need more sleep!
Ah, but there are moments. Creating a curtain of spray across a beautiful shimmering body of water. I'm carefree. Seeing the sky's reflection in the lake as I cut across. I'm carefree. Having cool air pump into my lungs on an early morning run. I'm carefree. Running almost effortlessly with a seemingly weightless body. I'm carefree. Relaxing on the beach in the late afternoon after watching my family play all day. I'm carefree. Swinging on my back porch and enjoying the chaos in my backyard. I'm carefree.
I guess that's what it's all about...the moments. Carefree highway, let me slip away, slip away on you.
Are you a worrier or are you carefree?
I'm linking up with Deb @ Deb Runs for the Wednesday Word.
Please visit Deb and the other participating bloggers. It's fun!
Oh. my. gosh. I almost put that song in my post today. We are twins, separated at birth, I think...
ReplyDeleteAnd I've been singing it for 2 days now in my head. If you tell me that, then it would be really freaky.
DeleteAlthough I do worry sometimes, I don't think overall I'm a worrier. As I said in my FB post just now, things have a way of working out.
ReplyDeleteBut of course I still do worry. Especially about things I'm passionate about, like running, the animals, my husband, etc.
Looks like a lot of us runners are worriers!
I think we can go too far in either direction. It's about finding a good balance.
DeleteI'm totally a worrier but I agree, I love those moments when I feel like I can live in the present and let the worries go for a little bit.
ReplyDeleteIt is a wonderful feeling to just let go...even for a short period of time.
DeleteI'm that way too a little bit of both! In my running sometimes I stress so much over what I'm doing or not doing then something happens and I realize I don't have to worry so much it is supposed to be fun, right? Then I know I could have done better and I stress more...It's a cycle. I think when we worry, it boils down to we just want to do our self justice, we want to know we put in all we had, we want to do our best! I don't think that's a bad thing!
ReplyDeleteNo, it's not all bad. I guess worrying means you care? We just need the right balance.
DeleteI am definitely a worrier and a planner, but there are those few moments when I can sit back and relax. Few...but they do happen!
ReplyDeleteYes, sounds like me. It is wonderful when it happens!
DeleteI am such a worrier... I worry about being too carefree :) haha
ReplyDeleteI couldn't have said it better!
DeleteI am a worrier and as a result a poor sleeper.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it has a lot to do with my poor sleep too. That and the song that plays in my head 24/7.
DeleteI am not a carefree person either but I kind of envy people who are :)
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. Although I can't really understand how someone can be absolutely carefree.
DeleteI am a thinker and a planner and a worrier, I need a support group! Oh yeah, I found you all!!!! XOXO
ReplyDeleteYes! We all have each other to lean on.
DeleteThis made me think! I don't worry but I do plan...and I plan when to be carefree ;-)
ReplyDeleteI actually think that's pretty important. You need to include things in your life that you find stress free and enjoyable.
DeleteI tend to be a worrier. I don't know that I'd ever describe my personality as carefree. A bit impulsive, possibly. Sometimes relaxed. But probably not very carefree. Unless I've had a half a bottle of wine. But them I'm probably asleep on the couch, so that probably doesn't count.
ReplyDeleteHa! I was actually thinking the same thing while writing this. Ask me about being carefree after a few margaritas!
DeleteI'm a little of both. I try not to worry about unimportant things, but it's hard sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI think it's all about finding the right balance.
DeleteCarefree is a pretty elusive feeling for me, another worrier, but running does have its moments!
ReplyDeleteSo many of categorized ourselves as worriers. I think most women I know do worry a lot.
DeleteReading all the comments to Deb's prompt this week, I think that Carefree is pretty hard for everyone! That might be a nice resolution to work on. And yes, those margaritas sound pretty good. :)
ReplyDeleteI often tell myself to LET IT GO. So often what we worry over isn't worth it anyway!
DeleteNow I have that song stuck in my head! Might have to pull out the Gordon Lightfoot CD and listen to it on the way to work! I try to keep summers as carefree as I can for the kids. lots of time spent playing with cousins and hiking. all too soon they will be all grown up. It goes so fast!
ReplyDeleteI sang that for days after doing this post! That's a great idea to have carefree summers.
DeleteI'm a combination of both. I struggle with not worrying over silly little things, and some days, I just really don't have time to worry about them. :) I think I've realized that the things I worry about often don't happen and things I don't think about do happen. God is good and sovereign. :)
ReplyDeleteMost of what I worry about never happens. It's about finding the right balance, I guess.
DeleteAs I clicked on your link to read your carefree post, I wondered if you'd mention water skiing as one of your carefree moments!
ReplyDeleteI've always said that my mom worries enough for all of us, so I never worry. I'm also a LOT more carefree since turning 50!
Thanks for linking up!
Ah, you know me well! I think I'm better about letting some things go.
DeleteI like your take on the word! I think it's very, very difficult to have a carefree life. But if you can find little things that bring a bit of carefree into your every day life, like your water skiing, that makes a bit difference!
ReplyDelete