Maybe the sun will shine today
The clouds will roll away
Maybe I won’t be so afraid.
I will understand
Everything has its plan
either way.
— the prophet tweedy
—

And then, magically, you’re done with work for the week. No more hearbreak, no more political bickering, no more computer meltdowns on deadline for two blissful days. And Coach Amy has given you the day off from running, so there’s only one thing you could possibly do:

Saguaro Selfies.

There are many things in life you will get tired of. But you will never, ever get tired of posing with saguaros.

Being the Master of the Phone Camera Timer, it clicks prematurely in a series of failures, a not-so-subtle metaphor for life. But it culminates in a magnificent portrait of runner and cactus merging in a way not at all reminiscent of the time a jumping cholla attacked you at Usery.

OK, the photo sucks, and that’s alright. Sometimes running sucks. And so does living. But you remember the old ultra axiom: It never always gets worse.

Life will go on. Tomorrow’s run will be better. The burrowing owls will peek out from their caves and go hunting. Humans will be kind to each other. Maybe you won’t be so afraid.

You wave goodbye to your saguaro friend and watch the sun as it clocks out behind Camelback.

Everything has its plan. On to the next adventure.

Always, on to the next adventure. Either way.