Saturday, November 27, 2010

You are what you decide to be

"Are you a long-distance runner too?", the friend of a running partner asked me. We had just met, and she wanted to slot me.

"Yes", was the answer I should have given her. I have run enough races to qualify as a long-distance runner.
But I do not have the dedication to long-distance running that others do, and cannot in really prefix "long-distance" before runner.
I decided to be vague. "Actually, you are a long-distance runner the day you decide to call yourself one", I said.

Isn't that true for much else too? You are what you decide to be.
_____
drabble is a story told in exactly 100 words.

12 comments:

LTM said...

Yes! :D And sometimes it even becomes reality~ ;p <3

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

And if you say it enough and believe, one day it's real!

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Very true. And you chose the perfect illustration for your post!

Anonymous said...

Rayna - What a well-taken point! Our self-perception has everything to do with what we are capable of becoming. That goes for whatever our goals are. That's why, in my opinion, it's so important to support our children's dreams of what they are and could be...

Patricia Stoltey said...

This is exactly what writers need to do. Calling yourself a writer increases the time you'll spend writing.

Karen Jones Gowen said...

Another insightful and exceedingly brief post. How do you do it? I need to take lessons LOL.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

And sometimes, labeling ourselves something changes us--and makes us become more of that thing. Thanks, Rayna!

Oddyoddyo13 said...

This is true! Great question. :)

Danette said...

I'll never forget the day-- some years back-- I was still at home with my kids and didn't have a "real" job but I was writing. I was out with a friend and she introduced me to some friends at work and they asked me what I did and I said, "I'm a writer." I was shocked at myself but it became true that day!

Natasha said...

@ Leigh- correction. It doesn't become a reality- you make it a reality.

@ Alex- always.

@ Debra- I was wondering if anyone would get it. Thanks.

@ Margot- so true. When Neil Armstrong, as a kid, looked at the moon, and hoped to get there, nobody had. But if he had been forced to give up his dream, he wouldn't have done it either.

@ Patricia- exactly what I was thinking about. Which perhaps explains why I am shying away from calling myself a writer. Not sure I have the mindspace for that obsession right now.

@ KarenG- thank you. Maybe if you have as little free time as I do, you will be forced to do say it in 100 words.

@ Elizabeth- it does, doesn't it?

@ Oddyoddyo13- thank you.

@ Danette- that is so wonderful, and so uplifting to hear.

Sueann said...

Very true!!! You are what you believe...so I believe big!! Ha!
Hugs
SueAnn

Natasha said...

@ SueAnn - as indeed you should. Have a great week.

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