The finish line is just the beginning.

When you cross the finish line of a marathon you’ve depleted all your energy stores. Your feet and legs are numb. You’re exhausted. But, your heart and mind are exhillarated. You set a goal for yourself. You trained for 6 months. You counted miles and carbs and ran and ran and ran. The finish line is that exhalted moment that every fiber of your being worked for during all those training runs. The finish line is one of the most magical moments you’ll ever experience. It is truly exquisite. Cherish that moment. You are a wonderfully successful, athletic artist who has conquered one of the greatest challenges in life. That was the feeling I had when I crossed the finish line of the 2013 ING NYC Marathon. As I walked through the corral in Central Park making my way towards the exit, my mind began to whirl. Feelings of joy flooded my aching body and weary mind and then were washed over by the thought, “What’s next?” It was at that moment that I realized that the finish line is really the starting line for another race, another goal, another dream. As human beings we’re hard-wired to achieve, to push forward and set our sites on another target. A higher goal awaits you at every finish line. For me, that goal was to publish my first book, Stonewall to Obama. I crossed that finsih line on January 12, 2014 – 2 months after finishing the NYC Marathon in 4 hours and 4 minutes. So, what’s next? For the last 5 months I’ve been waiting for the next target to appear. Sure, I’ve been busy with work and I’ve been formulating outlines for three new books. But, identifying which goal to commit to has been confusing. But, suddenly the other day it crystalized for me. I got instructions in meditation to find a charity and raise funds for it by running the 2014 NYC Marathon. One thing I’ve learned is that you don’t argue with that voice when it comes through loud and clear in meditation. So, I’ve teamed up with Lifebeat – Music Fights Aids to raise money and bring awareness about HIV and AIDS to a whole new generation of young people at risk of contracting the disease. I’ll be blogging my way to the finish line on November 2, 2014. Won’t you join me as I #runforacure by contributing to my fundraising page? Just click here and give what you can. Every dollar helps. We can beat this disease. I’m living proof!