My 9-year old son is my favorite running partner. Now, before you call Social Services, keep in mind that the kid is kinetic energy with skin on it. A total stranger once remarked, “that boy’s got enough energy to be twins”. As we run, he strides along effortlessly, chatting, doing funny steps while I simply keep putting one foot in front of the other. Toward the end of our run last night we had a choice of paths.
“C’mon, mom. Let’s run up the hill”, he said.
“Are you trying to double dog dare me”, I asked.
“No”, he answered flatly, seeming perplexed that I was introducing competition into the situation. “I just want to run up the hill”.

As his mother, I should know by now that the kid has no other layer. He just wanted to run up the hill. It looked like fun.

After we made it up the hill (and I caught my breath), I started to wonder: at what point in our lives do we stop looking at running up hills – real or figurative – as fun? When does it get hard – just too hard - and walk the flat path instead?

New technology can be a hill. It’s scary. You might look funny trying it out. It won’t be easy. Teenagers without a single curd of cellulite on their thighs will breeze pass you. It is easier to walk the flat path.

Did anyone who just finished walking the flat path ever say, “that was fun”?

Stay curious. Keep discovering. Run up a hill today.