"Stickability"

Last year I lost my fitness levels. I had hamstring hassles and toward the end of the year, knee problems. It is a pain getting older. This year I have been trying to regain fitness, nursing myself through a variety of exercises. It still has been a bit hit and miss. I have run... slowly and painfully at first. I have walked up hills. I have biked. Often I would run and get around a slow 9k, thinking that my knee was not hurting, but later that night it would start to hurt. But I have kept trying to make time for about three bike/runs/or walks a week. I had been a bit depressed though with the constant hurting, and was thinking that my running days were over. I definitely thought my running-freely-feeling-good days were over. (I have actually been heard to say when running freely once, "This is just about as good as sex!") 

Last night with a good friend, I ran the 9 k circuit. About half way through I put on a burst of speed (old men need a toilet stop so I ran ahead) and right at the end I picked up the pace for the last little bit. I felt good! It was still a relatively slow blast of "speed", but it felt good! My lungs were coping, my heart was pumping and my legs worked well.....And in spite of stretching out a bit, last night my knee didn't hurt! ... I finished thinking, "I may get to do yet another half-marathon!" I am going to the UK later in the year, I would love to do one there! 

The point of this burble is that I have been nursing my self through exercise. A walk.. a run... woops, hurting... better bike...another run... a walk...some rest days...a bike ride... etc. and slowly, ever so slowly even fat old 61 year old Davy Brown is getting fitter... its happening and it will happen!

I have learned a lot of things as I grow older.... but one thing I am learning is that "stickability" counts for a lot. When you can't see the end, when you are unsure of a result... just keep working at it and it will happen.

When we started Habitat for Humanity in Dunedin we started building a house with $2000 in the bank. We would work on the house Saturday mornings, and often be selling plants, raffle tickets or something else to raise money in the afternoon. Our treasurer was killed in a plane crash. There was for a long time about a maximum of four people going up on site each weekend. It took us two years to build the house. ... now this last year we have built our thirteenth house in Dunedin, we sometimes had 40 on site and we finished the biggest house yet in six months. We stuck at the task though it seemed hopeless, there were incredible bridges to build and lots of disappointments, but Habitat in Dunedin is a working, functioning, healthy affiliate now.... stickability.

A group of us met over lunch a few years back to discuss the needs of homeless people. Each of us in our work encountered them. We planned to work toward a night shelter for Dunedin. So we did. There were arguments. There were resignations and one of our best committee members committed suicide (nothing to do with the committee) but we now, years later have a functioning night shelter. ......Stickability!

We started a Friday night drop-in centre at the church about 15 years ago. We had a few turn up. On a busy night we had ten through. They appreciated it, but it was a long night. What were we doing? Why were we doing it? Then numbers built up. We have had as many as 70 through on a Friday night. We would now average around 40 through each Friday evening and we have opportunity to reach out and offer support to about 100 people on a regular basis.

I have been at this church for over 21 years. It has been a long journey with heaps of disappointments. I have been searching for a relevant expression of the church that I could live with. I have tried to give up several times, but failed each time. It is finally starting to happen. A vision has evolved, and is evolving and slowly it is taking shape. The old is passing and the new is emerging.  We have a long way to go, but things seem to be coming together bit by bit. It is more and more becoming a place open and relevant to the Dunedin community.  ...Stickability.

I recall starting chaplaincy. Very scary. Very early on a guy at a fire station told me to "Take my bloody Christianity and f*#k off up to Wellington and sort those bastards out!". Some others just would not talk with me. 16 years later I am an important part of the furniture. Starting at St John, I did not feel "at home" for years! I nearly told the boss to get someone else a few times. But now it is working. I need to keep remembering that as I try to make headway at the Allied Press chaplaincy. ......Stickability.... it will happen... it will happen... hang in there. 

If I have any words of wisdom to pass on to younger people, this would be it. Stickability... what ever your goals, whatever your field, hang in there and you will be surprised what will emerge. Too easily we give up.

Photo: A photo taken by my running friend Jane . It is of the track on Flagstaff Hill above Dunedin. She gave me the photo to hang on my office wall. I like it because it reminds me that life is a journey. The words of a song go with the theme of this post... "The road is long with many a winding turn...." .... Today I am saying "stickability" is of utmost importance in the journey of life.