About Me

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Austin, Texas, United States
I'll make you laugh, or break my neck trying. This is usually accomplished with daily bouts of swimming, biking and running. A former "chub-a-holic," I got fit and healthy the good old fashioned way and went from a mid-pack athlete to top age group runner and triathlete. I'm a Writer and USAT Level 1 Certified Triathlon Coach. I guess that makes me part Tina Fey and part Jillian Michaels. Visit my coaching site at www.fomotraining.com

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Austin Burning


What is going on in this picture??


A. The Texas Governor's Mansion is on fire AGAIN?

B. One of the new vacant hi-rise condo buildings in downtown Austin exploded?

C. Whole Foods Market has a glow of more profit? (or is it just a natural glow from all of the vitamins and supplements?)

D. The UT Campus is taking that whole "burnt orange" thing to another level?

E. All of the hippies in town for the Austin City Limits Music Festival are blazing the world's largest joint?

F. Carrie took a horribly dangerous photo of a soul-stirring sunrise while driving north on the Mopac Bridge in traffic?


For all of the glory that is the iPhone, this pic doesn't even come close to conveying what was the most glorious sunrise today over Austin. I was on my way home from the pool and wanted to stop, get out of the car, and just stare.

Over the last few weeks, I've been struggling with gratitude. That, in and of itself, is frustrating because if we're not functioning from an "attitude of gratitude," then we are nothing but shameful complainers. I've found so many things to mindlessly bitch about lately: my job is way too busy and petty, I'm eating and drinking too much, my training is mediocre, our economy sucks, my relatives are ill, my good buddy passed away, and did I mention I hate my job these days?? I've felt a tightness and anxiety in my chest because I've been so...ummmm...uptight lately. Even when when I rationally know I'm being irrational, I still can't help it. Weird... And it's not PMS (not this week, at least).


And then I saw THAT sunrise today. It was like a bolt of electricty ran through my body and I instantly felt at peace with everything. My difficult situations are still there, but I feel like I at least have control of them instead of my recent "out of control" and "I'll never catch up" feelings.

...and for that...I'm VERY GRATEFUL.

(and happy that I didn't run my car off the bridge while taking this pic)

7 comments:

R. Jeffrey Davis said...

That SO much reminds me of a similar experience that I had last month while I was working in Perth. I completely agree with you

http://hockeyguy.blogspot.com/2008/08/life-is-beautiful.html

Thanks for the reminder

Anonymous said...

Carrie, I saw the same thing this morning, it brightened my day after swim as well. :) Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I've been feeling the same way lately, and then last night we got news of a good friends wife passing away - kind of put my bitchiness in perspective.

Glad to hear we are both back to being grateful!

triguyjt said...

I knew it was F..

now be careful next time you take the sunrise photo while in a rush to get to work

attitude of gratitude is the way to put it...

I was thinking of maybe a
G. Lance Armstrong taking bike ride and the glow that surrounds him in Austin...

nahhh

Garry said...

Sometimes a beautiful sunrise, a child's smile or something else that is very simple helps to put everything back in perspective. Good for you to see it for what it was!

ShirleyPerly said...

Nice sunrise! And hopefully you'll see some beautiful sunsets in Kona soon too (assuming the VOG stays away). Whenever I'm there, the song "Don't Worry, Be Happy" plays on the radio and then I can't get it out of my head :-)

jeanne said...

hey fun meeting you wednesday night (i was the tall one with aj).

i'm thinking you got nothing that a few calling-in-sick days can't cure!