Running For My Life

As a teen
when things were at their worst
I ran eight miles a night with my Irish Setter
Every night starting at midnight
I couldn’t sleep anyway
There was nothing else to do with my rage and sorrow
no one believed me – everyone hid in the shadows of shame
I was a broken exile machine piled
exiled in the house I grew up in
so I ran
I saw the shadows of faces behind the wheel
whizzing past
half asleep or drunk and sometimes nearly running into me
I ran in the snow
I ran in the rain
like today
no way to distinguish rain
from tears
I became one with Mother Nature
and she seemed to adopt me
pushing me with a sudden gust of wind
until I got the final push from a voice inside
“Leave”
I left my oppressors and started my life as a human being
I sympathize with all oppressed
I want you to know you can get out
you can change
inside and out
one step at a time
self-empowerment becomes who you are
you can reach freedom
a better life
I got there
eight miles a day
for six years
I thank the road for its comfort
I thank the moon for traveling with me
a guiding light that brought me into another day

Photo Credit: Hugedé Loïc Flickr via Compfight cc