Waking our happiness drowning in light

A friend of mine left this letter in my work mailbox today:

"Dear Leslie,

Hi, as you may know, I plan to run my first ever marathon on May 7th. I have been training for this race since early January and I think I am ready. My goal time is quite slow by many standards but my bigger goal is to finish before all the race officials have gone home and the timing equipment is cleaned up. My running magazine has an article every month by a man who calls himself 'The Penguin', his motto is to finish what you start, have fun, and 'waddle on'.

Moved by an article in the same running magazine, I have decided to add a prayerful theme to this event. I have selected a list of 26 people to pray for during the run. Why did I select you for this list? You are one of the many people who have inspired me to push harder and set higher goals, to never settle for less from myself.

Leslie, I will be praying for you during the seventeenth mile of the race. The race will begin at 6:15 a.m., your mile will begin at 9:19 a.m. Please feel free to pray for me at that time (or any other time) as well. If I make my goal time, I will finish around 11:00 a.m.

Love,

Ann"

I am not a very religious gal. Most of my other friends would say "I'll be thinking of you" or "I'll picture you in white light". But despite that, I am so touched by this that I'm surprised I am not weeping. I suspect that the reason she will be praying for me is more that I am pretty fucked up right now than that I've been so inspiring to her, but I'll take it any way I can get it.

I thought I'd be out at that race enjoying clanking my cow bell to support her and my other friend who is also running, but now I guess I'll be bathed in white light.

Pretty cool.