Meditations on a Marathon

"On this system one could fight all the forces of existence without deserting the flag of existence. One could be at peace with the universe and yet be at war with the world."

G.K. Chesterton

A dear friend of mine ran a marathon this past weekend. It was my first opportunity to watch any part of a marathon in person, and I was unsure as to what I should expect. I'm glad to say that I loved it. The freedom to support and cheer everyone on, both strangers and friends, was exhilarating.

It struck me that the reason why people are so quick to cheer the runners on is because we are, for the most part, simply impressed with the daring to attempt such a daunting task. We recognize that the marathon represents the peak of training, and that all of the runners have paid a price for entering the race. By the time they cross the starting line, they have already committed time, energy, and finances to the task ahead. And we respect them for that.

But, at the same time, the unwavering support received by the runners is combined with a stark knowledge of how they stack up against their competitors. For the vast majority of the runners, in fact, the race is not competitive in any meaningful way. But, because the runners have earned our respect just by crossing the starting line, we are free to cheer for the runners without disappointment. We want them to run better, faster, and stronger than they think is possible, all the while content with the desire to run such a grueling race.

As I was watching the race, I both marveled at the community surrounding the runners and sensed that there was something quietly familiar with the picture. It struck me that cheering for the runners reminded me of some of the finest sentiments that people can exhibit. There is tremendous freedom in loving something without constraints, even to the point of irrationality. With a boundless love, nothing is sacred. We can mold, shape, and influence the object of our love so that, in the end, it may look nothing like the thing we started with. That love wishes that the object be better, faster, and stronger than others might think is possible, all the while content with whatever the outcome might be. Such a love is rare because it is simply too easy to err in either direction. Love without change is pointless. Change without love is destructive. But the freedom to love something to the point of redemption is the finest of all virtues.