Running Out of Time

The verb "to run" is possibly the most common metaphorical verb in the English language. People run for political office. They run businesses. They leave their cars running. Their noses run. They run away from their problems, and they run into each other. They run over things, too, and in none of these examples are they putting one foot ahead of the other foot at a rapid pace.

When I do the laundry and the colours run, tears (not mine) run as well in sorrow (anger?) over the damage I've done. Ships run aground; fish run in schools. I often run into trouble. And when I try to think of excuses to get out of it, the well runs dry. Plays run for years... you get the idea, and I'm running out of examples.

Running is one of the oldest, most elemental of human activities. So the fact that we use the word to describe so many other elements of our lives should come as no surprise. So why fight it? Get the hint, everybody; go ahead and run.