A Treadmill For Two

"The best kind of friend is the one you could sit on a porch swing with, never saying a word, and walk away feeling like that was the best conversation you've ever had. "~ Unknown

"A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out. "~ Grace Pulpit

As my cycle class was about to begin, a couple walked in. Quiet, smiling, they didn't make any disruption and went right over to some bikes that had been set up. If I hadn't been looking down I would have never noticed the dog that accompanied them. Perfectly behaved, the dog quietly led his owner through the dark room and to her bike. Then, he laid down and watched her cycle, without moving his gaze away from her for one second. As the music pumped, the energy got higher, and the lights flickered in the room, the dog's focus was on her and her alone.

After class, I asked the couple how their ride was and they gave some positive feedback and then I asked, 'was the music ok for him?' and pointed to the dog, a beautiful brown retriever. I had been worried that the music was too loud. They laughed and said, 'no, Happy is used to loud music'. The owner then let me know that she has had Happy for 1.5 years and the dog does everything with her. As she spoke, Happy kept close to her knee and rubbed it with his nose, from time to time, as if to let her know he was there.

She then said, 'in fact, the first time I tried to get on a treadmill, Happy, whose focus is to keep me safe', tried to get on the treadmill too, but it was akward because there wasn't enough room. Happy kept trying because he wanted to be by my side.'

I laughed but inside, my heart swelled to think of how sweet it was that the dog kept trying to get on the treadmill to walk with his mom to protect & guide her. I thought about how unconditional Happy was to his owner. It didn't matter what she was attempting or if he had been trained to know how to do it - whether laying in a cycle class next to his mom riding a stationary bike or attempting to walk on the treadmill with his mom, so that she felt guided and protected, he was always there.

I debated on if I had shown that same level of love for my friends and family. And, I thought about the friends who had show'd that same level of love for me.

How about you? Are you there for someone when they can't see for themselves? Do you go out of your comfort zone to be by their side? Do you gently 'nudge' them to remind them you are there, by calling them, holding their hand or putting your arm around them?

I challenge you this week to 'get on that treadmill' with a good friend. Do something that takes you out of your comfort zone... sit and listen... have patience... be there, even when inconvenient or difficult.

It isn't just the friends that show up for the party; but moreso, it's the friends who stand by your side and love you unconditionally that help to 'see' all that your life can be.

I think Happy's owner may actually 'see' more in life than most people with perfect vision.

So now, go on, get on that moving treadmill.

The Reasons People Come & Go

People come into your life for a Reason, a Season, or a Lifetime.
When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do. - Anonymous

Have you ever met someone who made such an impact that when they exited your life, you felt a painful loss? Have you found yourself saying, 'Maybe it would have been better not to know them at all - it hurts too much to loose them now?'

I can think of several people that have come into my life and profoundly changed it for the better, and then disappeared as quickly as they came. Selfishly, I've found myself saddened and thinking about how much I wished they could stay longer. The disappearance didn't make sense. Why would something so wonderful have to come to an end? Why do some of the best things seem to only have a season? I don't know all the answers, but I do believe people come into your life with several different intentions.

One, is for a Reason. Perhaps you are at a point in your life that needs that person's experience, love, or energy to help you through it. I remember coming out of a tough relationship and not being sure what I felt about anything. Someone came into my life at that point and reminded me about who I was, what I wanted in my life, and who I wanted in my life. Since that point - they have disappeared from my day-to-day living, but what they did for me was unforgettable. I am forever grateful that they came into my life when they did. The only way I know how to repay them is to not loose sight of the gifts they brought to my life and perhaps - pay forward those gifts to someone else who is in need, as I was...

Others come into your life for a Season. Our lives all change course at points and times. I can think of my friends from high school, college, and now... some are the same - but some of us have gone in different directions and have drifted apart. That doesn't make the memories of what we shared together any less significant. I think back to the girls I lived with in college. All of us were full of hope for our lives, excited to 'meet the right guy', 'figure out what we wanted to do in life' and most importantly 'wanted to enjoy being young and free'. Now, many of those friends are now married, with kids, living in different states/countries, living very different lives. But the memories of that 'season' will forever linger in my heart.

And finally - a Lifetime. If we are lucky enough to meet a few people that spend a lifetime with us, we are truly blessed. These are the people that know us inside and out and still love us. At our best - at our worst, they would stand by us in our greatest celebrations and most difficult moments. A lifetime friend is a special person that we don't know why we are so blessed to have them, but we know we couldn't get through life without them by our side. I believe you know almost immediately when you meet a lifetime friend. There is a certain connection you make - perhaps with your soul, your energy, your heart - it is an undefinable, unexplainable friendship that can only be understood as a gift in your life.

For this week's challenge. I ask you to consider the following: We all have lost people in our lives that we wished had stayed 'a season longer'. Instead of focusing on 'why they left' - I challenge you to focus on, 'why they came' . I think you will find that you have been touched by people who were there for a reason and because of them - your life is better. When you are touched by those who were there for a season, you can look back at a point in life and smile at the memory. And, those lifetime friends. They help us stay focused on what our life journey is all about... the best is yet to come!

Reason, Season or Lifetime. All gifts. All purposeful. Your life is better because of each of them. Let go of the past and focus on the current season and enjoy every second of it. And make sure you tell your 'reason' friends just what they've done for you. I think I'll be making a phone call tomorrow.

It's Not the Days... It's the Moments

'We do not remember days, we remember moments'. -Caesare Pavese

As the New Year kicked off, I spent some time in reflection, not only over this past year, but of my life in general. I thought about old friends and new friends, adventures and travels, unexpected joy, and times I laughed until I cried. It dawned on me that it is easy to think about our lives in terms accomplishments. We tend to place value on the successes in life.

I challenge you to consider thinking about your life differently. Think about your life in terms of the moments that have brought you the most joy. It is likely, those moments aren't the ones where you received a degree, got a first job or made a paycheck. Those moments are the ones you make, when you don't realize you are making them - when you are with family, or friends, finding the joy in eachother and appreciating eachother - simply.

When I think of my fondest moment, while I have many, the first one that comes to mind is when when I spent time with a friend. We didn't do anything unique or special. We actually stayed in and watched movies, danced to music off of itunes on our computer and made eachother laugh until we cried by telling stories of our lives. My cheeks hurt for a whole day after... There was nothing significant about this time except for we had found simple joy in spending time together. Whenever I have a down moment, it is easy to think back to watching my friend dance like no one was watching and me falling on the floor - unable to get up because I was laughing so hard. I feel that same joy overwhelm my heart as I did in the actual moment.

It is not significant accomplishments that makes our lives rich - it is those times that bring joy to our hearts, tears to our eyes, and a tireless smile to our faces.

I challenge you this week to consider this ... while goals and accomplishments are great things to inspire us - they are not what makes our lives rich. Spend some time thinking back to the last time you smiled with your eyes, laughed til you hurt, and found simple joy - in the presence of a good friend. These are the things that make our lives.

There are no ordinary moments - so make sure you are able to find the joy in each one.