The Strength of OZ

"COURAGE! What makes a king out of a slave? COURAGE! What makes the flag on the mast to wave? COURAGE!" 

The Cowardly Lion, The Wizard of Oz

I have been very intrigued with the Wizard of OZ as of late. I love this 1939 classic.
I find it so interesting how all of the characters have a need. And their need causes them great pain and a feeling of being incomplete.

• Dorothy wanted to go home. 
• The Scarecrow wanted a Brain
• The Cowardly Lion wanted Courage. 
• The Tin Man wanted a Heart. 

And I just LOVE how all their desires they already possessed.

Illusions: Like in Oz we have all these illusions, often creating our own reality. The truth lied within them. Truth is not given as so much as it is recognized or realized through experiences. And often painful ones.

The Great Illusionist, Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkle Emmanuel Anbroise Diggs, better know as The Wizard of Oz.
The Man behind the curtain was quite brilliant at using trickery and to rule. When in reality he too had been stranded in Oz. "Hurting people hurt people."

"The Lord gives strength to His people, the Lord blesses His people with peace." Psalm 29:11

The word STRENGTH is translated from the Old Testament Hebrew word OZ!
OZ also translates "force, security, majesty, might and boldness."
The Wizard of Oz was all smoke and mirrors. He gave the illusion that he was all powerful, all mighty, strong and bold, when in reality he was quite the opposite.

Wow, this all seems so much like me. This little pipsqueak who struggles with a Napoleon complex wanting so bad to be stronger than I am.
Yesterday, Austin picked me up and literally spun me upside down and set me back down upright. I tightened every muscle I could and prayed my body wouldn't crumble.
"AUSTIN! Be careful, you will break your mom." Andy says.
"I'm fine!" I giggled. But the reality was I was scared he would break me. My body isn't what it used to be. I'm 46 years old, I'm no spring chicken and cancer didn't help my aging body.

Collision: I have peace that I am not what I used to be. But I also know that I am getting stronger in the season I am in.
Giving up because I get discouraged isn't an option.
The last few weeks, I have been able to slowly increase my mileage. I increase it by one mile every 2 weeks.
The first week, I take my time, running steady to build my endurance.
The second week, I run the same distance but try to beat my time.
Monday, March 30th: 15 miles@ 2h33min 10:14min/mi
Sunday, April 5th: 15 miles@ 2h26min 9:47min/mi
I am not trying to kill myself to beat my time, I am still adding walk breaks every mile and listening to my body. I do not want to go back to Egypt.
But it is giving me much needed confidence. I am getting stronger! I am increasing my miles and staying healthy.
Last week, I was able to run over 50 miles and biked 9 more miles. This is a lot of miles for me. It was because I didn't do my long run until this Monday for last week. I ended up with 2 long runs in 1 week.

I tried to think of what character I related to most.
The Wizard of OZ as you have read I related too with wanting to be stronger than I am.
Dorothy I wish I could go back to what I once was... Just being honest. This is a fleeting thought.
The Tin Man, I am asking to be a little softer. We are in some very hard days. This virus has many people judgement and abrasive. I don't want to be that person.
The Scarecrow wanted to have a brain, I have never been a brainy person. I don't have to be the master of knowledge. I am often corrected because I give off the illusion that I am an airhead. But I am not. Relationships are more important to me than proving I am right or that someone else it wrong.
The Cowardly Lion, probably my favorite. Courage. This is a gift God gave me many years ago.
The courage to not give up. The courage to be bold. When they told me I had cancer trust me when I tell you I shook with fear like the Cowardly Lion. Fear would grip me out of nowhere and tears would drown my cheeks.
It came down to one thing....
Strength.. The strength of Oz...


I really had fun putting this together. What character reflects you the most?
In closing, "We are not in Kansas anymore." Life as we know it has gotten a little kittywanbus.
Set yourself some daily goals and see if they take you "Somewhere over the rainbow"!

Anita~