** DAY 61 -- Perry, Brigham City

We went to Perry for the fourth of July.  It was fun.  We drove up on the third and got up early.  I ran in my first 5 K.  My OLD body has not let me run at all for the past millennium.  But I ran with Emily, to support her in her first 5K.  She did well. 

Before we did it, they had a flag ceremony.  It made me tear up.  I have always wanted to write a novel based upon the events of the "birth" of our National Anthem.  I have done the research and I am ready to do so.  There was once when I thought it would be fun to have someone write music to accompany my story.  I found one young writer, but I never followed up.  I can't help but dwell upon the events leading up to Brother Francis Scott Key's experience in writing it. One day perhaps.

As I watched that flag climb the pole, I again felt emotional knowing withing two months or so, we will be almost in the DR, leaving behind for a period our wonderful nation, our freedoms, our liberties, and experiencing the lack of... of another nation.  I love this land, the history of this land, so many who have sacrificed their all to bring me the freedoms I have.

Oh, you should know, I received a ribbon for finishing that 5K, third.  Third place in my age group.  The only catch is, there are not many living that are as old as I am, and thus I still came in third.  It should also be noted that there were only three who ran who were in that age group, but I came in third and received a ribbon for my efforts, my blisters, my aches, and my enjoyment in running with  my daughter.

We met many of past friends and members of the church, shared with them our excitement of our mission, and told them of the DR.  It was fun.  Watched some softball, and was even asked, pleaded for me to play in the OLD FOLKS game mid day today.  I wanted to so much, but my wise wife expressed fear that I would break something or other and be a cripple for our upcoming mission.  I would be out on that field, my mind saying that I could do anything, as I used to, and my body laughing at the joke.  A ball would be hit to me and I would do as I used to do, thus breaking my back, my arm would be thrown out of the socket, and I would be rushed to the hospital.

NOTE: It is hard to accept that fact that my mind is young, wants to do all I have done in the past, but my  body is growing more feeble every day, and thus often my body better speak louder than my mind.  I didn't play and thus only suffer from the run of this morning besides the sadness of accepting that I cannot do as much as I used to do, nor half as well as I used to.  "Growing Old" is not fun.