“His brain and body shattered in a horrible accident as a young boy, Bret Dunlap thought just being able to hold down a job, keep an apartment, and survive on his own added up to a good enough life. Then he discovered running.
You know what people think. They see jeans too short and winter coat too shiny, too grimy, and think, homeless. They watch a credit card emerge from those jeans and think, grifter. They behold a frozen grin, hear a string of strangled, tortured pauses, and think, slow. Stupid.
You learned too young about cruelty and pity. You learned too young that explaining yourself didn’t help, that it made things worse. People laughed. Made remarks. Backed away. So you stopped explaining. You got a job, got a cat, got an apartment, and people can think what they want to think. You built a life without explanation and it was enough…”
Read more here. Long. But so worth your time. Having trouble getting off the couch to work out? Having a tough day? Week? Year? Forgettaboutit. Inspiring story of the year? Running away. Read this man’s story.
SMWI* = Saturday Morning Work-out Inspiration
Source: Runner’s World
Reblogged this on Wholeheartedness.
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing Todd
LikeLike
Wow, great story. And great, excellent crafting of this story. Kudos!
LikeLike
It really is Therese, the story and the story telling.
LikeLike
Torture to live a life of having to justify to others, to see approval, to hold self to be judged by uncaring strangers.
LikeLike
Yes, he, though, in a most determined way, has found his own path.
LikeLike
That’s quite the story. May I never complain again.
LikeLike
Exactly.
LikeLike
“You built a life without explanation and it was enough…” This man’s story is a great one, and very inspiring. I wish that we could all just take the time to look inside a person, to see the treasure which lies within. Thanks for sharing this one David.
LikeLike
Thanks Carol. I too was moved by this story. What a man. What a Mother.
LikeLike
This leaves me breathless…A perspective worthy of remembering on a daily basis.
LikeLike
Yes. Very much so.
LikeLike
Amazing. Both the story and the story telling. This is great writing. This man and my God, his Mother. Amazing. I will share this one and come back to read again. Yes, it is time to get up and move. No excuses.
– Michael
LikeLike
It is all that Michael. Yes it is. Thank you.
LikeLike
Running is so much more than exercise. Thanks for sharing this beautiful story, David.
LikeLike
I agree Carolann. Thank you.
LikeLike
How amazing, incredible, touching and inspiring! Thank you for sharing.
LikeLike
It is amazing…bigger than that even. 🙂
LikeLike
A quick and usual check of LLL on Saturday morning…and this hit me even before the coffee. Didn’t need the coffee Dave. Captivating. Inspiring. Humbling. Motivating. Thanks for sharing this story Dave. Hope you and the family are well. Steve
LikeLike
Hi Steve. It is really all that. Thanks for dropping by. All is well on this side of the pond. Dave
LikeLike
Thanks for improving my day with this tremendous story! Very inspirational!!
LikeLike
Thanks Kevin. It is an incredible story. And it’s still with me.
LikeLike
Inspired! It moved me. And the below lines will stay in my mind for sometime without any doubt:
“You learned too young that explaining yourself didn’t help, that it made things worse. So you stopped explaining. You built a life without explanation and it was enough.”
“Something else you know, something else you learned from running: That solitary, hard life you spent so much time and energy building? It’s not enough. It never was. You want more…”
LikeLike
Yes, two of many great passages. He has an amazing story…
LikeLike