Then the most incredible thing happened.

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The most incredible thing happened at my gym last week.

It was an 8pm workout on a Monday night.  I had come straight from a busy day at work, and dragged myself there somewhat begrudgingly.  It was cold, it was windy, it was snowy.  I hadn’t eaten dinner yet and the assigned workout did not play to my strengths.  My couch was calling my name.

I went through the warm-up, some burpees and duck-walks and bear crawls, all things I love to hate.  Onto mobility.  Shoulder mobility.  The majority in attendance took their pullup bands to the main rig to begin going through the drills.  Myself and two others ended up on the other side of the gym, away from the group.

“Do you blog for Momstown?” she said.

I turned my head to see a friendly face that I didn’t recognize.  “Yes I do” I replied, “how do you know that?”

“I’ve been following your blog.  In fact, you’re one of the main reasons I decided to come here.”

You should’ve seen my face.  I was shocked and floored and flattered all rolled into one.  She went on to explain that she’s been reading my blog regularly and since I blog about Crossfit often, okay very often, she wanted to try it herself.

“I thought to myself, she’s a mom, she works, and she can do this stuff.  So can I!” she said.

So there you have it.  All this time I’ve been writing… all 82 posts… all those should-I-publish-this or shouldn’t-I-publish-this moments were worth it.  Because it made a positive effect.  It did some good.  It helped someone.  I’ve been writing this blog because I love to write, I love to share my views, I love to see the feedback.  I love the encouragement and the criticism and the debate.

Then the most incredible thing happened.

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Focus on the Good

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Unfortunately, discrimination is still alive and well in 2013.  I’m talking specifically about age discrimination.  I was with my children in the family changeroom at a local pool last week, and this is the conversation I overheard:

  • Senior: “Why are you taking that blowdryer?”
  • Teenager: “Because it’s mine, I forgot it when I was here yesterday.”
  • Senior: “Well it’s clipped onto the mirror.  I think you’re stealing it.”
  • Teen: (flustered/teary) “No, it’s mine.  I forgot it here yesterday and called the pool and asked them to hold it for me so that I could pick it up today.”
  • Senior: “Well I’m reporting you to the front desk for stealing.”
  • Teen: (crying) “Okay, well I will come with you.  I didn’t steal it, it’s my blowdryer.”

And off they went.

This conversation made me so angry.  I was angry at the Senior for false accusations, bullying, and age discrimination, and I was angry at myself that I didn’t speak up and say something.

I remember being a teenager, full of insecurities, uncertainties, and hormones.  I also remember the frustration of being lumped into a category of ‘irresponsible’, ‘flippant’, and ‘careless’ simply because of my age.  Today’s teens are often generalized as ‘entitled’ and ‘lazy’, and perhaps some of them are.  But many of them are not.  There are far more ‘good teens’ than ‘bad teens’, just as there are far more ‘good people’ than ‘bad people’.  Look for the good.  Focus on the good.

Don’t assume that a teenager is stealing, or that a Senior is grumpy, or that a woman is emotional.  Don’t assume that a Mom is frazzled, or that a baby is fussy, or that a child is out-of-control.

The world would be a lot better place if we just gave people the benefit of the doubt, don’t-cha think?

focus on the good stuff

Yeehaw, eh?

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The Royal College of Chiropractic Sports Sciences is putting on a conference this upcoming weekend, the ‘Run Faster’ conference.  conference-logo-and-abilities-centre-white-bottomIf you said this sounds like it would be right up my alley, well then, you would be correct.  But it’s not just because of the Chiropractic Sports Sciences part, which I love, and it’s not just because of the running part, which I also love… it’s because this conference has opened up friendship opportunities abound.

You see, I am lucky to have some incredible friends in my life.  And my girlfriends mean the world to me.  They are the sisters I never had, the shoulders to cry on, the ears to listen, and the arms to hug.  However, since some of my very best friends live very far away, their shoulders and ears and arms are usually via text or email or Skype.  This weekend has changed that.

One friend in particular…. you may remember Ange…. has not had a chance to visit in the six years since we shared a city.  She has not hugged my toddler, or seen my house, or met my dog.  We have not gone out for dinner, or laughed until we cried, or shared unspoken smiles in six years.  Sure, there’s been short visits when I’ve headed West for Christmas or Summer vacation, but they are always rushed and kid-filled and oh-so-short.  This time is different, this time we have time.

And in a worlds-colliding sort of way, Ange is going to meet her Burlington counterpart in my neighbour Marnie.  The similarities between these two, both big (just-turned-forty 1973 birthdays, opinionated, and mothers of girls) and small (passionate about environmentally-sound products, awesomely-unruly curly hair, and good-natured insult banter with my husband) are some of the reasons that I love them both.

Ange is my Western Marnie and Marnie is my Eastern Ange.  Yeehaw, eh?