Challenge and Opportunity

Quite often, the wonders of the lives we lead present us with challenges. On initial reflection those challenges seem burdensome and inconvenient to our daily lives. However, more often than not, those challenges, seemingly a blockage in the road, end up developing in to the opportunity we didn't know was available. I don't believe it is for us to see this opportunity coming, like a train with it's headlamps blaring towards us. It is more like the plunge down a kamikaze slide blindfolded. You have a feeling of what awaits you, but you just can't see it yet.

Take for example my recent trip to Florida. Presented with a continuing and enduring challenge from a government agency that is so full of bureaucracy that I personally believe that hidden in their charter somewhere is a statement that "we shall be as bureaucratic as possible so as to infuriate anyone who deals with us", I was presented with this week's challenge of travelling to Florida to have a nice English gentlemen invigilate that I do indeed speak excellent English.To have two entire days consumed by 20 minutes of testing seems like a pretty unwelcome challenge to me. I began the challenge grumbling away, with snow falling around me. I grumbled all 3 hours of flight down to Florida. And then I stepped off the plane! It had gone from 1F to 70F in 3 hours and all of a sudden, as I shed the wool coat of 1F and embraced the shirt sleeves of 70F. All of a sudden this challenge was paying a more positive note. An opportunity was knocking. Enter stage left a Mustang Convertible.

I had never driven or ridden in the classic automobile. All of a sudden an opportunity to rent the powerful machine was on offer. I hesitated only momentarily, with my hand on the handle of a nondescript rental vehicle, I was pulled away and crossed the rental area and climbed into the Mustang. Top down, wind in the worryingly greying hair line and the sun beaming down, I was on the road. All of a sudden this annoying challenge was taking on a new set of spots.

A trip to Florida in December can only be embraced with an outdoor run. My hotel was positioned in such a location that to run to the Atlantic shoreline would be a 9 mile round trip. A new challenge, but one that was immediately converted to an opportunity. I love a good run in the sun. 9 miles later, via the town of Indiatlantic, all of a sudden, the burden of the trip was long gone and opportunities were being searched for, like a dog hunting for a rabbit. As is typical when I am in a strange town, I hunted for the local hippie hangout. Duly found, a coffee and veggie sandwich were in order for some recovery.

The next morning, the opportunities kept coming. A new meeting with an intriguing Englishman and a very nice drive down, really confirmed this trip as a great opportunity, albeit an unexpected and unwelcome costly one.

The run was simply fantastic, minus an unwelcome "porta-jon" stop. The perfect temperature. Slightly windy. However, more importantly, it was confirmed that all the strength training has paid off and continues to. The legs never felt like giving up and the next morning did not provide any concern. 9 miles for the first time in two months. A good result.

Good luck to us all!