Bright Spot

Lately, I’ve been trying to exercise and move my body purposefully a few times a week. Swimming at the city aquatic center has been my most recent activity. I LOVE water. In addition to being good exercise, time in the water soothes my soul and relaxes me.

During the week, especially early in the day, there are always a number of people exercising in the continuous river. Some walk with the current, others against it. There are those who stop to do kicks, some who tread water. It seems that everyone has their own rhythm and routine.

This morning, there was a gentleman there whom I would guess to be in his late thirties. He was walking laps around the river, and it was obvious that he is not mainstream in his intelligence and social skills. Every time he passed one of us, he spoke. Now, there was a person or two who were annoyed at this behavior, but the rest of us enjoyed him. He was very polite and kind. What really made him stand out, however, was his positivity. Each time he spoke to someone, it was to say something kind and encouraging. At one point, I was walking backward and he said “Way to backstep! That’s hard work!” I smiled and thanked him. Around and around he went, cheering everyone on and encouraging.

I hope that I will see him again. While I’m sure his life has significant challenges, that is not where he focused. His attention was outward and pure. It was so lovely to be around someone with such a bright outlook and honestly, he made my day. How often do I have the opportunity to speak life and encouragement to others? How often do I choose to look past my own “stuff” and see, really SEE others? This man did not know me, but he took the time and effort to say something kind. I want to be more like him. If I see him again, I will make a point to encourage him and tell him what a difference he is making in this little corner of the world.