Kick off the heels

Riding roller coasters with my sister is hilarious.

When the ride starts to trek up to its highest point right before you start falling at warp speeds and twisting and turning to excitements you don't even have time to see fully, she always says, "I wanna go back! I wanna go back! I don't want to do this anymore!" But, it's too late—you're already committed, and you have no choice but to finish the ride and hang on for dear life.

Our worlds can be like roller coasters. Oftentimes I get so busy and caught up in the mass chaos that is my life that I have to remind myself to breathe.

But, even in all of the hustle and bustle, sometimes time stands still for a brief stint, and truths are revealed. That happened this weekend. On Saturday, our seniors graduated at 12:30, and it was also a mandatory workday for all of those employed by the district. I was also working graduation that day as a row leader. That same morning, however, was the North Texas Komen 5K, which I do every year in memory of a dear friend who lost her battle with cancer. I got permission to run the race and then meet everyone at the Stars Center, where our kiddos were graduating.

Saturday morning, alarm goes off. Begin madness.

After the race and awards ceremony, I hurried to my car, scarfed some food while I was driving to Lifetime Fitness, darted into the locker room to shower and get ready, hustled back to my car and headed to the Stars Center. When I got there, I knew it would probably be easier to park elsewhere so I didn't have to deal with the traffic mess that comes with any big event, so I parked in a somewhat nearby hotel parking lot (even though there were signs all around that said only guest could park there and that all others would be towed—please don't report me). I ran (in heels) through a few parking lots and hoped the police officer in one of them didn't know I had just parked somewhere I shouldn't have, because it was obvious I was on my way to a graduation with a robe in my hands.

I finally made it to the gathering area, led my row in the ceremony, watched kids (who are no longer kids) I've seen grow up for the last four years walk across a stage and on to new chapters of their lives, and applauded as they threw their caps in the air.

Then it was go time. Again.

This time, I took off my heels and dashed through those parking lots again barefooted and feeling like I was running on hot coals. I think I also stepped on something sharp, but there really wasn't time to acknowledge it—or the pain. My friend Laz's birthday was Saturday, and I had to haul tail home to change and then book it to Dallytown for some froyo fun. When I finally made it home that night, I was exhausted. The Rangers had lost to the Blue Jays in 18 innings that same day, and I felt like I had played about 18 innings myself. The only thing on my mind was closing my eyes and shutting down my mind.

Survivors

Sunday wasn't as busy, but it was kind of close with multiple tasks and driving distances piling on top of each other. It seemed fitting that I woke up and ran in a downpour of rain and a thunder and lightning storm. It was actually rather fun to splash in every puddle and come home looking and feeling like a drenched rat.

Here are some things I was able to take away from this weekend after looking past the fatigue and busy-ness:

1. Be nice, because you never know what someone is facing in life.

Prior to the awards at the Komen race, the breast cancer survivors came onto the stage carrying signs of how many years they've lived beyond their diagnoses. It's incredibly inspiring—the longest for this year was 37 years. By simply looking at these women, if they weren't wearing their pink "survivor" shirts and carrying those signs, you would never know the warriors they were and the battles they had endured. You wouldn't know their struggles and how much fight within them it took to keep facing each day with hope and belief. The truth is, we don't know always know what people are dealing with each day they wake up—you only get one life, and there's no point in living it with mean attitudes and bitterness. Be nice. Love people.

They were just freshmen.

2. Time is precious.

I honestly can't believe how quickly time seems to pass by us. I just finished my fifth year of teaching, but I remember my very first day like it was yesterday. And the kids that graduated Saturday—weren't they just freshmen? I had the privilege to teach some of them all four years as they went through the more advanced broadcasting and journalism classes and were part of the news show crew and newspaper staff. They worked so hard and dedicated so much of their time that I think there were some weeks they saw me more than their parents. At times I even felt like a mom of sorts. Watching them graduate on Saturday, one of the most cliché thoughts ran through my head: They just grow up so fast. So cherish each moment you have on this earth, because we don't have forever.

3. Running in heels is not always a good idea.

I feel like this might be self-explanatory, but (big shocker) I'm willing to elaborate. Now, some people have mastered this art, but there are those who should simply give up this feat altogether—even if it means running with the poor soles of your feet being scorched by the beautiful Texas pavement. I think we often run with our metaphorical heels in life. We get so caught up in what we're doing and start going way too fast that we forget about the consequences of falling flat on our faces or getting hurtful blisters because of our choices. Sometimes, though, it's better to be like little kids and kick off those shoes and just take off boldly for whatever destinations we're trying to reach.

4. Friends make life better.

When I finally made it to Dallas and got to spend time with people I adore, the stresses and time crunches of the day melted away faster than my froyo would have if we had sat outside in the June Texas temps. Life is not meant to be spent alone, and making memories with those you care about—and who care about you, as well—is precious and priceless.

You can't exactly get off of the roller coaster once it's begun, but somehow you can pause while you're on it and still soak in all of the greatness around you as you begin to understand that, while life is often completely crazy, it's also completely beautiful.