commencements.

the weekend's mileage: 11

on the iPod: "violet" -- seal

The weather called for extensive rain Friday through Sunday, which put me in a cranky mood starting mid-afternoon on Thursday. It never did rain. So I ran. Quite a bit. And my mood did a full 180.

Saturday morning, in fact, was pretty much perfect weather for running. The temperature was in the low fifties with clouds floating sporadically through a crystal blue background. The slightest of breezes seemed to hang around, picking up and then slowing down again, but never going away. I started with my usual routine of coffee, the newspaper, and a bagel, in what has become my favorite part of the day: early morning. There's a calm and quiet about the morning that seems to center me for the rest of the day. Or maybe it's just that i'm disgustedly and unabashedly addicted to coffee. Regardless, I've grown to love the morning time, and Saturday mornings especially.

But this Saturday morning was a bit different, as I wasn't wearing running gear and my trusty Asics gels, but rather a crisp, starched white oxford shirt and a J. Crew multistriped tie. There would be no running on this fine running morning, and I was okay with that, as the commencement exercises of Bentonville High School were scheduled to go off at 9:00 a.m. in Bud Walton Arena. It never fails that graduation ceremonies almost always elicit the same responses in people, myself included: hot and uncomfortable venues, boring speeches, annoying families that scream for their offspring, and the mind-numbingly long procession of names and diplomas. They really are torture.

But as tedious and excruciating as a graduation ceremony can be, i'd never miss seeing my students walk across that stage. Never. Because when they do, they are not only celebrating their hard work and accomplishments thus far in life, but more importantly they are beginning a new and exciting journey, destined to have highs and lows from which they'll ultimately grow and learn. Graduation is their moment to shine. To smile. To cry.

For most of them, college is right around the corner, with it's own set of experiences and opportunities. They have no idea what's in store, or just exactly how terrifying that first week away from home will be. Nor do they have any idea of how the entire four years will change their lives for the better. How these rites of passage will turn them into passionate, educated, caring, thoughtful people. But mostly they have no idea how much fun the whole thing is going to be. I couldn't be happier for them.

So I went. And sat through the entire ceremony. And, as always, found myself experiencing some of the same emotions that I experience every year. Emotions that i'll undoubtedly feel again in years to come. Count me in.

It wasn't 45 minutes after the final graduate, Grace Zhang, crossed the stage, was handed her diploma, and caps were thrown into the air, before I was out of the tie and into running gear. The skies hadn't abandoned their late Spring brilliance, so I made a beeline for the nearest leg of the trail system, eager to log some miles and enjoy the day. The temperature, however, had climbed into the low 80's, so I knew that going a long distance would be difficult. With that in mind, I decided to simply run until I felt like turning around. Three miles later I did just that, but not before enjoying the amazing feeling that lacing up affords me. There's no way to describe how running makes me feel, other than to say it's my way of comprehending wholeness. It puts me in the best of places both mentally and physically. The mileage back was just as nice, or even better, as I found my legs pushing hard and my spirit soaring.

It was an outstanding day.

As if the gods were smiling down on the running community, or maybe just humanity in general, the supposed rain never materialized today, either. More running. It was a no-brainer. I headed out for some downtown street running through campus and Fayetteville neighborhoods. With the majority of students gone home for summer break, the traffic was a bit lighter, which made it incredibly easy to share the road with cars and bikes. As much as I love the trail system, there are times when I want to run the streets of this fair city. Downtown, with Wilson Park and the University campus and Dickson Street and the Square, is perfect for running.

Heading up Dickson Street, with it's sizeable incline, and after knocking back the even more sizeable incline on the east side of Wilson Park, I was excited to turn right onto Block Street, (which has the largest of inclines), because I knew that today was the inaugural year for the Block Street Block Party. It's a festival aimed at celebrating the local flavor of the various and sundry bars, restaurants, and stores that line the street. While Block Street has been, for years, a staple and favorite amongst the local crowds, it's also been the bastard stepchild to the most famous street in Arkansas that happens to be within spitting distance. I worked in a Block Street bar during my 20's and have tons of great memories surrounding those days. So it put a smile on my face when I turned the corner and realized that there would be no running on Block Street today, as literally thousands of locals had rolled out for a great afternoon in the sun. I immediately took out my earbuds and joined the party.

It seemed that everywhere I looked, amongst the bands and the beer and the dogs and the kids and the families and the fun, there were friends. It was a total bash. Here are a few highlights of the people I ran into:

Zack and Darcy, Shannon and Bryan: Two really cool couples that i've known for years.

Uncle Lewis: A great lifelong friend who looked great. He's also my go-to tech guy. I can only imagine he thinks i'm dumb as hell, because all I know how to do is push CTRL+ALT+DEL.

Susana O'Daniel: A tireless advocate for the right causes, this chick is going places. Just watch.

Amanda Harrison Robinson: She got a huge, sweaty hug. Unannounced from me. Love her.

Don and Cynthia Puckett: Best. Parents. Ever.

Kristin Smith: One of the sexiest girls I know. That's not saying much coming from me, but I think she's hot. And I love her. We went to graduate school together and tore it up!

Mark Covey: An old-school friend that is probably one of the funniest guys i've ever met. He should do stand-up. Just not for kids.

Robert James: He convinced Cynthia Puckett to cut her hair short, so for that he's kinda pretty much my hero. And he's running Chicago!

Fayetteville is absolutely amazing. So are commencements. And running. I'm the luckiest guy in the world to experience all three in one weekend. It's the truth.