Friday morning’s heavy rains and the afternoon threat of more did not stop the twice-postponed regional varsity track meet at Floyd County High School as students from several area schools participated under a heavy cloud cover and more rain that drenched the later events of the meet.

Turned out to be the second Friday in a row that I left a high school athletic event with both body and cameras soaked. The cameras, however, can take the wet better than I. Rain aggravates arthritis, a bad hip, bad knees and a left shoulder rotator cuff that needs surgery. The pin my in ankle sends strong pain signals to the brain with every step and getting soaked to the bone is probably the last thing someone needs after a winter with three bouts of flu and a case of walking pneumonia.

But if the kids can take the rain, why can’t I? If parents huddle under the bleachers or umbrellas to watch their offspring compete, why shouldn’t I at least take the time to document the event?

It would be easy to take the comfortable way out and go home but doing so is not living, just existing. It’s much more satisfying to live.