I’m showing some Fleetwood Mac love in the title today, but the song itself really has no bearing on this post.

Today’s post is about being free spirited.

On Tuesday night, after work, I went to see The Heiress on Broadway.  I am a Downton Abbey fan and didn’t want to miss the chance to see Dan Stevens on Broadway.  Jessica Chastain played the lead — not too shabby either.  I was able to get a discounted ticket at the last minute.  I didn’t have anyone to go with, but that didn’t stop me.

This was something that I wanted to do.  Having someone else to come along wasn’t necessary to my enjoyment of the experience.  So why should the absence of that hold me back?  It shouldn’t.

When I first moved in to the city, I used to do things like that all of the time.  Movies by myself, ballet by myself, long walks by myself.

I still go to movies and museums by myself from time to time, but I do less and less of that these days, since I’m lucky to be married to El Profesor.  I have a partner in crime for most things I like to do, and an arsenal of friends and family with broad ranging interests that I can call upon for one thing or another (for instance: my mom is always on board for the opera).

However, my theater buddy has gone missing.  One of my best friends for the past (almost) eight years moved to D.C. a year and half ago, and admittedly this has affected my Broadway attendance rates.  She has a big deal job working as an advisor to a popular senator, and I couldn’t be more proud or happy for her.  So now I try to get tickets to something when she is in town, and I took El Profesor to Bring it On last summer — which, by the way, we both loved.

But getting back to my point:  if there is something that you would like to do, and it is safe to do alone, don’t deny yourself the experience simply because you don’t have another person to share it with.  Why miss out?

It is important to you, so pursue it.

When I first got back in to running, a little over two years ago, I had the perfect running buddy.  He was speedy, competitive and oh so handsome.  Yes, it was El Profesor.

After a few months of running together, I found that I was lacing up on my own more and more.  Running was, I think, something that he did to keep me company in a place where I was lonely and didn’t feel like my usual independent self.

I am grateful for that and also I am grateful that he ran alongside me during the first of many runs that helped rekindle my love for the sport.

El Profesor stopped running.  He does other wonderful things for himself, like playing softball and working out at the gym.  He is more passionate about those things, and I think that’s great.

He stopped, but I kept going.  I fell back in love with the solitude of running, with the freedom of the outdoors and the sound of my forefoot striking the pavement.

Now I am training for my third half marathon.  It is important to me.

It doesn’t matter if I run all of my long runs alone, or if I find myself alone in my corral at the start of my race.

I don’t need a familiar face to keep me motivated.

My motivation comes from within me.

Go your own way.

Run On™