A Promise, The Earth and A Tree

I impulsively entered a half marathon race for late January, and it is beginning to loom in the foreseeable future, I know that I ought to get out and run something longer at weekends for a few weeks.

So slightly reluctantly I headed out of the door this morning and ran along to Bolton Abbey and back - so that's a little short of half marathon distance and at about 25 sec a mile slower than target race pace and had a fantastic run on a beautiful morning on a beautiful route.

One of the things I like about running on my own, is that I have time to think and get my head back in order and centre myself. I know that later today Linda and I will embark on timetabling Christmas and associated elements of the festive season, and it will be ambitious and done with military precision. I was aware that only the kids need presents buying and they don't know what they want - because they want for nothing and the buying them stuff coz it's Christmas when they don't need or want stuff was nagging me a bit.
Running along half pondering that and half in blip mode I saw a rainbow. Here is the best image my rather naff phone camera produced.

I considered the image as I continue my run, A Promise, The Earth, and A Tree (I know there is more than one tree but cut me some slack). It reminded me about what I consider Christmas to be about, and will spur me to discuss with Linda and the kids what about our traditions and planning both faith based and otherwise brings true value and joy to life this festive season.

PS
I said earlier "ruluctantly" set out on a run - I' must have been running thousands of times, am often reluctant but never, I mean never return and say - "I wished I hadn't bothered "- when will I learn to embrace the good things in life enthusiatically?