Random Acts

Cheryl and I went running yesterday on a very nice trail the city has built along the river.  To be more precise, Cheryl was running and I was following along sweating and panting heavily enough to be mistaken for a stalking pervert.  We have run this trail a few times in the past and it is rather pleasant with its views and relatively (not quite Disney level) well kept appearance.  This time, as an added feature, someone(s) had written affirmations in sidewalk chalk for at least a mile of the path. 

I don't believe I am the only person who feels disgusted by what I know I look like running and perhaps there are even people who feel disgusted by what they look like while running.  Having a random anonymous stranger tell me that I am loved and I can conquer this mountain had more of an affect on me than I would have anticipated.  I know that I was not the direct target of those sayings and the writer probably had no idea anyone else would derive benefit from them but I still appreciated them very much so, to the random anonymous person, Thanks. 

This reminds me of another topic I have been thinking about.  Sometimes as I walk from where I parked the car to a store entrance (any random store really), I might see some drifting piece of plastic or paper wafting along.  As I see it go by many times I have a brief mini debate on whether to chase after it to throw it into a garbage can at least.  I don't have any hard and fast rules about speed of wind or distance to rubbish but I would like to say that at least half the time I'll grab it.  As I drive along later I might see this same sort of flotsam accumulating in fence lines and I will either feel good about being part of the solution or bad about being part of the problem.  Was it my fault the plastic bag is floating around loss, not really, but it is my fault if I ignore it and my chance to do something about it.