In the public eye

I know that sunglasses are not exactly healthy for your eyes, but have you ever slipped on a pair and gazed up at the sky? Especially on a sunny day dotted with clouds where the huge masses of white fluff are thrown into sharp relief, their edges outlined in golden sunlight. I did this today as I took my puppy for a stroll and I was in such awe that I should have walked into something; but I didn't. My eyes have always been extremely sensitive to light and I can barely glance at a daylit sky, but with sunglasses, I can look at it without the usual eye-watering pain. And so, I saw giant cumulous clouds along with a fuzzy rain shadow that took up a small portion of the sky, and it painted quite the scene. Gold, white, blue and gray - now I know why these shades go so well together. Like green and brown, they are all colors of nature, and in my opinion nature never clashes (color wise). But "sunglasses and clouds" is not the topic for this post so I'll get on with it.

You know those motivational stories about people overcoming obstacles and finding success in their lives? The ones where, once they've ended, you feel like getting up and dancing or singing, basically doing whatever incredible skill the protagonist has demonstrated in the story? People live vicariously through the lives of others, on screen or within pages no less. Shouldn't they be living actively through their own experiences? After watching a movie where the hero prevails and achieves his dream, the audience has that feeling of accomplishment themselves, as if they are the victorious ones. And yet, when I look around, I realize that I don't need to watch one of those movies or read a book to feel the same inspiration. I just need to pay attention to the things going on in front of my very nose, which are many and not far between.

For example; the woman jogging down the street with her rather chubby belly bouncing up and down as she huffs and puffs her way to weight loss and health - she's probably embarrassed. But she also knows that it is up to her to take the first step and, despite her self consciousness, she still ventures out into the public eye and gives it her all, no matter who might see. This is courage. That young boy who sits by himself at lunch because he won't go along with the rest of the school mob's twisted ideas - he's probably wishing he could. But he understands the difference between staying true to himself and giving up to his peers who want to assimilate him into their "culture". This is bravery.

Are these not people to look up to? One day I was at the gym with a fellow fitness buddy and as we parted ways to explore seperate machines I noticed a strange looking man walk in. He was tall, and walked with an odd duck-like waddle, sticking his bottom way out. He wore gray sweatpants and between their elastic waistband and his shirt protruded a large pot belly; not the prettiest picture. I could hear him cycling a few spaces away and was surprised at the amount of effort he put into it. He was working hard! As he continued to exercise, turning the pedals as fast as he could, I began to gain a certain amount of respect for this peculiar man. After about a half hour, two early-teenage girls walked in. They fiddled with the equipment a bit, did two captain's chair raises each and then sat down on a mat, passing a medicine ball back and forth between them. Once they caught sight of him though, a giggle fest ensued. They pointed and snickered behind their hands, laughing at the man's sweat laden clothes and swayed posture. Now, it might just be me, but this struck me as disgusting. For these girls to come into a gym and play around with a weighted ball, then judge another person as they work their head off...well it did not sit well with me. I kept thinking to myself; At least he's here. At least he's trying. What are you doing?

Unfortunately, I'm not one for conflict so I simply glared at them, arms crossed, until they stopped and left the room. I know this might have been a slight overreaction on my part but what would you have done? Just let them laugh? I couldn't. Not when I admired the perseverance and focus exhibited by this stranger. He deserved more than that. So the next time you see someone taking the initiative to make a positive change in their life, no matter how funny they look, try to remember that it is probably hard enough for them as it is without other people putting them down. They need encouragement, not disdain. And when you find yourself in their position, don't be afraid to expect the same in return. :)