Up and At It

This morning, I got a late start on my run and it was quite hot and humid out by the time I did so.

About a mile into it, I felt that it was just too uncomfortable to be out for as long as I had planned and decided to take a short cut home.

Shortly thereafter, I passed an elderly lady going the other direction.  She was out for her morning exercise.... in her wheelchair.

 

It instantly dawned on me;  How dare I grumble and complain because conditions weren’t perfect, to take my ability to run for granted and to even consider cutting short my goal because everything wasn’t ideal.

She, simply doing what she was doing, inspired me.

Once my decision was made to finish the run completely, thoughts of quitting never even entered my mind again.

At mile four, I passed a man who was thinning out his bromeliads, my favorite landscape plant for Florida.  When I paused to compliment his, he gave me one to bring home. 

A mile later, I passed a lady who had placed a free standing tp holder out to be taken away.  Having just redone the bathroom and in need of just such an item, I asked her if I could have it and she gladly gave it to me.  Whether Jo-Ann will allow me to keep it, once she finds that it came from curbside, is yet to be determined.

In any event, because an elderly lady, suffering from some condition that makes her unable to walk, got up and got at it, I was encouraged.  I finished my run completely and returned home “burdened” with prizes rather than returning home empty handed and disappointed, as would have happened but for her passing me by.

 

She was a great and wonderful blessing to me without having any idea herself that she had been so.

Few of my stories have even a point much less a moral but this one does, at least for me.

In our daily run through life, we never know who may take notice and be inspired in their own life simply because we got up and got at it.

Particularly with, but even in the absence of, a personal burden to bear, no matter how mundane, trivial or just a part of the daily grind we may think our actions and routine, we may very well bless someone else in a similar situation to keep on keeping on.

It doesn’t always require great things or an extreme sacrifice to be a blessing. 

We don’t have to necessarily be standing on the sideline clapping and cheering. 

Sometimes a simple smile in passing, a kind word uttered or just our own perseverance in whatever situation we may find ourselves is all that someone may need to take heart.

It is my great hope and prayer that, on more days than not, I may encourage someone else to run the race with gladness and, certainly, that I may ever be mindful to do so myself.

++++++++++Update+++++++++
This morning I passed Stella, the lady in the wheelchair, again and stopped to chat for a moment. 

I shared with her that she had inspired me and she smiled and said that knowing she had done so truly encourages her. 

We made a pact to cheer each other on.  It's a small thing but it makes me happy.   :)