Interactions with some people – friends, acquaintances, even complete strangers – are such an awesome breath of fresh air. You know the ones – they leave you not only with a smile on your face, but with joy in your heart. I just had one such “encounter” – a phone call from a friend I have not talked to in a while – and it just left me with a little more joy in my heart than was there before we talked. I constantly thank God for people like that, and for such encounters – they can be as simple as a quick hug from an old friend or a wave from a total stranger, or as long as spending a day with someone “who gets you.” I had a similar experience in Beaumont recently on a bike ride. I spent a good three hours riding, talking, and hanging out with someone I have known for a while, but not really known, and I was left just thinking “wow, what an awesome person, and how fun to get to spend time with them.” That same ride I briefly spoke with a couple afterward who also left me with a happy heart – they are both wonderful people who have had some hellish experiences over the past few years, but you’d never know it upon meeting them for the first time – their faces just light up the world and make it a little bit of a happier place. I guess in a perfect world, you would only surround yourself with these kinds of people, and your only encounters would be the ones which would leave your heart overflowing with joy. But, we know life isn't always that way, and not every person or experience is going to leave your soul feeling full. As bad as some of the bad can be, I guess it has to be there to make the good that much sweeter.
This is what I wrote and secretly put under everyone's doors tonight: The big day is almost here! Long it will be, but have no fear. You have put in miles and miles And will finish amidst numerous smiles. The hard work is over and done. Now is the time for nothing but fun. May your spirits be high throughout the day, And may nothing come along to stand in your way. Ironman is as much about the journey as the destination, And you will be rewarded for all of your determination. Hand-in-hand we will all jump in, Eagerly treading water as we wait to begin. At 7am the cannon will blast But be sure not to go out too fast. The cool water will run over your face, As you are now committed to the race. The Rural Bridge will seem so far away But keep those negative thoughts at bay. Once you turn around and head west To the Mill Ave. Bridge you go, trying your best. 2.4 miles will be over before you know it, And you will start to realize your thoughts of Iron are truly legit. On to the bike, f...
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