Stop. Start?

There is a weird thing that happens to runners. Sometimes, in the midst of a run, despite running along quite confidently, all of a sudden, you stop. The feet stop moving as quickly. The legs slow to a walk, or come to a complete halt. And very often, you don’t know why.
 
There is a similarly weird thing that happens to friends. Sometimes, after years and years of being in regular contact, monthly lunches, weekly emails or calls, the lunches become less regular, as do the phone calls. Sometimes they stop all together.  And very often, the friends don’t know why.
 
I think this weird thing happens to all of us at one time or another. It may have nothing to do with exercise or friendship, but it might have to do with work, or play, or writing plays, or practicing an instrument, or dancing salsa, or sitting in the park, or cutting your hair, or writing blogs. There may well be a reason lurking somewhere for this, but it is not always discernible. Sometimes, we just stop.
 
Trying to figure out why is interesting. Sure. But even more interesting, I think, is trying to answer the more difficult question — do I start again? Do I make the huge physical effort to start running? Do I risk embarrassment and place that overdue phone call? Instead of writing an email or scheduling a meeting or go to a poetry reading, do I sit down alone and do that thing which used to come quite easily, but now, all of a sudden, is hard. Do I or don’t I?
 
Sometimes I can answer these questions I ask. But not today. You?