On the Road of Life

I have a thing for peacocks. I think they are stunning. I think they are smart. I think they are rare; then again in the Suburbs of Chicago there's not exactly a lot of birds aside from Sparrows. I digress.

Peacocks show their feathers in instances when they are showing off, getting attention, trying to get attention, and most of all comfortable. Their feathers each tell a story of their life whether it's a broken feather, a longer feather, a shorter feather, or a feather hidden by other feathers.

For our first year anniversary, Will got me a card with a beautiful peacock on it. I have displayed it since the day I opened the card.

Will told me the card reminded him of me and that he wrote a message in it that he read in another card.

That message has stuck with me since reading it. I think about it. Of course it's true with Will, one of my biggest cheerleaders, and person who will do crazy classes with me at the gym. 

Also on my cheer squad is my family who may not go to the crazy classes with me, but in their own right have had to hear me detail the classes on more than one occasion. Throwing there pompoms up in the air have been my friends who have been nothing but encouraging on the journey. My coworkers, although many have stayed silent, those with voices have shared their enthusiasm for me as if they have known me forever.

I've also noted it's true on this journey I'm on and at the gym. I call people that I talk to consistently at the gym "My gym friends". I know their first names. I know their gym schedules. I don't know their last names in most cases. I don't know their families. I don't know what they do for work.

What I do know is they are supportive. They say hi. We can both be sweaty and out of breath, but they take time to say hi and ask how my day was; or I to them. They see differences in me and comment on it. They high five. They cheer me on and I cheer them on.

It's probably because I go to the gym on a pretty rigorous schedule due to my work and class meeting times, it's because of that fact that I see the same people all the time. We share a special bond that I truly do cherish.

It's simple. The little things. The "hello". The "have a good night". Asking how class was, well wishing for a good class. It's true. It's unknown what road this journey will take me down,  but those people around me ... they make the difference.