Happiness is giving.

Why does everything have to have this overwhelming wave of emotions? I can go from one minute to the next and reach the full spectrum of feelings.

This morning I watched a youtube clip of "Empire state of mind" and immediately I wished that I was back in NYC...homesickness once again. A few hours before that I woke up to the most beautiful sunshine in Athens and opened the sliding glass door of my bedroom to overlook Ymmitos mountain. And even now, working from home in board shorts and flip flops, I can take a sunny outside lunch break and give some kisses to my pup pup (who comes to work with me every day). I have it kinda good!

This weekend was a full of giving back to the sport of love. I have decided to help volunteer and dedicate more than 1/2 of my time to two triathlon organizations, sacrificing both time and money for experience. I love being involved and giving back but there is a price to pay.

My price this weekend was my training. I am training for the biggest race of my life, thus far, which is only a month away - Ironman 70.3 St. Polten. YIKES! My weekend training was effected in a major way b.c I just ran out of time and steam. Saturday after an entire day of helping at the clinic and pouring my emotions into helping some newcomers have a good experience with the sport, I cut my run down from 22k to 15k and due to fatigue, re-injured my toe. On Sunday, after volunteering at the mountain trail running race, I could not keep my eyes open during the car ride home. Instead of doing my BIG brick session, I took a nap. Then, it was all I could do to jump on the trainer for a messily one hour bike, while counting the seconds until I was done the session. This not helping my athletic performance.

And on happiness, a friend of mine wrote on her FB status that she is looking for what really makes her happy, and that it is harder than you think. I replied saying that happiness comes from within and it is love. It can not be found in a situation, person or place. Happiness comes in waves...we just have to ride the wave. But it is harder than you think.

So with my heart and soul, I will keep giving and I will keep loving. I will have faith that with all of this, I will reap the fruits of my labor for when my time comes to be back in my USA.

NY...concrete jungle where dreams are made of, there is nothing you can't do...