 |
| Annual Blessing of the Shoes, Los Angeles Cathedral of Angels, 2014 |
“It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to."
 |
| My marathon wings, 2014. |
We all have our stories and favorite memories of where our feet have been. Maybe we remember the fluffiness of freshly mowed grass, the gritty feel of sand, those prickly little rocks on the bottom of the ocean, someone tickling our feet (much smaller than and much less worn), and how we ran as fast as we could in our first pair of sneakers,
thoroughly convinced they made us run faster. One step at a time towards a lifetime of discovery...our feet have taken us a long way, and tomorrow they are running us 26.2 miles from the stadium to the sea.
From practice runs to carbo-loading, we trained hard and for a long time. Having our shoes blessed and receiving support, prayers and encouragement may give us that last pinch of energy and nourishment we need. A lot of colorful shoes were placed in front of the Cathedral Clergy at the Cathedral of Angels today, while its owners formed a tight circle around. Messenger Kevin joined us in his own sneakers. He spoke about Los Angeles, the City of Angels, with its rich history, reminding us that our shoes will run on roads, where many others have walked before: "A landmark every mile." Sprinkles of holy water on us and our running shoes, each one of us received a holy handshake and a reminder " to breathe and exhale".
 |
| Messenger Kevin blesses the marathon shoes, 2014. |
Tomorrow is the day. We have logged the miles, we have done the hard work, we have set out our running gear and we have set our clocks one hour ahead. Tomorrow morning let us trust our feet to take care of the rest. May they sweep us off on a grand journey across the city some of us now know so well ... the way to the finish line. This is it. Focus, finish, just do it.
