The Runner: Escaping the Shackles of the Past

During the early morning hours, it's common to see Hakeem, a slim-figured long strider, scurrying from the east side of the park's trail towards the waterways bridge downtown.

As he runs, his body language and facial expressions support the idea that he is running toward or away from something on the same route he has been taking for several months.

However, this is the very first time this has happened.

–

"Hakeem, Hakeem," was all he could hear with a puzzled expression as he squinted to see who was sitting on the bench underneath the waterways bridge downtown.

As Hakeem got within a couple of feet of the person sitting on the bench, he said in a soft respectful tone, "Hey! Excuse me. Excuse me. Were you the one calling my name?"

However, the person didn't reply.

Hakeem stepped closer, arm's length away placed his hand on the person's shoulder and asked the same question. "Hey! Excuse me. Excuse me. were you….".

Before Hakeem could finish the rest of his sentence, the person turned around, stood up, looked at Hakeem in his eyes, and yelled in a sobbing tone, "Why have you been running from me?"

In mere shock, Hakeem screams, "What the F***!" as he stumbles back, slowly falling to the ground, looking up at the person who resembles his exact facial characteristics and features.

As Hakeem picks himself up from the ground, he immediately begins running the opposite way back towards the east side of the park's trail, as the person on the bench shouts. . .

" We will meet again."

" You know what you did."

" You can't keep running!"

" You. Can't. Keep. Running."

Maybe, one day, Hakeem will come back and face that person. But today wasn't that day as Hakeem continued to run faster and faster away.

–

🔑 No matter your endurance, you can never outrun your past. But, at some point, you will have to face it.