an alternative title for this post was "how the process of getting marriage is really good for me".
today I commuted home from work on my own two feet. yup, that's right. I ran 8+ miles home, from Maryland to DC, after working 14 hours overnight. I feel just a little badass. Especially because this is my 3rd time this week commuting like this. (reason #1 why the process of getting married is good for me: motivation to run more)
anyways, the inspiration for this "say good morning to everyone" thing is also known as reason #2 why the process of getting married is good for me. as part of the process of getting married, the manfriend and I have created a little "pre-marriage obstacle course" for ourselves. It includes tasks like, "tell me the five qualities that are important to you in children and what you'd do if our kids don't have time", as well as "go check out rocks at a museum and tell me what you appreciate about them" and "learn 5 phrases in italian that we can use in daily life". one of my "obstacles" way back when was to go on a solo hike and say hi to everyone I see. The point of this is to make me feel friendlier? more social while hiking? not sure entirely, but I did it back in May and it was really lovely.
today, I decided to extend this on my commute and say "good morning" to every single person I passed. Not to think about whether they looked friendly or scary or even really awake and paying attention to me - just to go for it. And the results made me feel so much happier about people in general, and even about myself as connected to them. Each time I said good morning, I got less scared of people, each person seemed more accessible, more human. Each time someone said it back, I felt more human myself.
it's amazing how disconnected from each other we let ourselves become, and how much a simple salutation can close that gap, even for just a brief moment as I run on by.
today I commuted home from work on my own two feet. yup, that's right. I ran 8+ miles home, from Maryland to DC, after working 14 hours overnight. I feel just a little badass. Especially because this is my 3rd time this week commuting like this. (reason #1 why the process of getting married is good for me: motivation to run more)
anyways, the inspiration for this "say good morning to everyone" thing is also known as reason #2 why the process of getting married is good for me. as part of the process of getting married, the manfriend and I have created a little "pre-marriage obstacle course" for ourselves. It includes tasks like, "tell me the five qualities that are important to you in children and what you'd do if our kids don't have time", as well as "go check out rocks at a museum and tell me what you appreciate about them" and "learn 5 phrases in italian that we can use in daily life". one of my "obstacles" way back when was to go on a solo hike and say hi to everyone I see. The point of this is to make me feel friendlier? more social while hiking? not sure entirely, but I did it back in May and it was really lovely.
today, I decided to extend this on my commute and say "good morning" to every single person I passed. Not to think about whether they looked friendly or scary or even really awake and paying attention to me - just to go for it. And the results made me feel so much happier about people in general, and even about myself as connected to them. Each time I said good morning, I got less scared of people, each person seemed more accessible, more human. Each time someone said it back, I felt more human myself.
it's amazing how disconnected from each other we let ourselves become, and how much a simple salutation can close that gap, even for just a brief moment as I run on by.
~~~~~~~~~
"you is kind
you is smart
you is important"
- from the help
