What Makes me Cry...

Apparently both alien babies and computer-generated chimps make me cry. I know, not the most riveting or real, but seriously I was a mess during District 9 and Planet of the Apes. Something about kids, or better said, creatures, being taken from their home just wrecks me. Kids in general just wake me up to the world. Just last week, I was taking a walk with a friend of mine around Lake Merritt and we came upon this little girl with the biggest smile just waddling along. Happy to move her two little feet as the mother closely followed behind, bracing for a potential fall. Both of is instantly thought of the same thing: “damn, to be that happy.” And, then we grow-up, get tainted, rant a lot more than we laugh and smile, get frustrated by the stupidest shit, honk are horns, flip people off… Ok, ok, I know not all the time, but you get the gist.

When I was teaching dance classes to preschoolers I had my hands full. But, I also got, “teacher Caitlin I peed my pants.” As I frantically stopped the music, rushed over to take her hand, she said, “it’s ok, I was just having so much fun, I didn’t want to stop dancing.” Or there was the day I asked for the rules during dance class and I received, “don’t put your hand in water where there are sharks.” The best part about this comment was the other kids reactions. They all nodded vigorously like it was the absolute best rule ever. These adorable moments have stuck with me. This is why I have kept my pre-Olympic Trials message from my nephew, which says in a raspy voice, “run fasttt.” I listen to it when I just need a smile.

And truth be told, when I’m having a bad day, or doubts during a race, or about ready to cuss out someone that didn’t turn their turn indicator on (1. yes, I call it a turn indicator not a blinker & 2. why do people feel it’s unnecessary to use these devices in the bay area?), I think about being grateful to move, listen, and interact. Some days I do better than others, some days I have to think about certain things like my nephew calling my running shoes race cars, or that hug I’ll get at the end of a long day. Regardless, it’s pretty important to take a look around and not take everything so seriously...