We ran a long way in the wind and rain yesterday. Fortunately, the trail we use sits down in the Fox River Valley, providing shelter from the storm bringing gusts of 20-30 mph.

At the start, a spitting mist struck our faces. Then it full-out rained a little. Eventually it stopped. In places where there were gaps in the trees, the west wind buffeted our bodies, throwing us off stride. We laughed.

Sue was running fourteen miles. I was doing ten. At the five-mile point, we paused to exchange a kiss and she went north while I turned south. We got to share some fun suffering before heading off for our own workouts.

We commiserated on the conditions once we arrived back home. I was already showered and reclined on the sofa when she came in through the garage. Our dog Lucy leapt up to give Sue a set of hearty kisses.

“That shower will feel good,” I called out to her.

“I’ll say,” she replied.

We’ve shared many such workouts over the years. The process of sharing fun suffering is what we like to do. I confess (at times) to thinking back to our warm bed during some of these early morning runs and rides. Spending time in each other’s arms and then going out to test the heart and lungs in every season is a fuller way to live. My male mind sometimes recalls sweet sensations as we truck along together at 5, 10, 15 or 20 miles or faster. The fastest we’ve gone together is 43 mph down a long hill in Wisconsin.

Love is both a patient and speedy thing, it seems.

We all ache for connection in this world, building relationships around all sorts of experiences. Sharing in fun suffering is one of the best ways to get past the shallow and find a deeper sense of purpose, even if it means nothing to the rest of the world. We have our problems and challenges in this world like everyone else. Fun suffering is just another way to get through them.