The Magical Hi-Five

She put on her a little red coat and slowly made it down the street to the place the place where the race route passed close to her street. There was a cold breeze in the air but she didn’t really mind it. There were a few who had braved the cold winter’s morn to come to cheer the runners on. 

She took her spot, like she had done a number of times before, waiting for the runners to pass by. As they passed by she smiled and put out her hand. Some saw her but ignored her choosing to focus on the road ahead. Others completely ignored her and went about with their run without missing a beat. But for every runner that ignored there were others who saw her and returned her hi five with a smile on their face. At times she swerved from the impact, but she never lost her smile.

To the outside world she seemed like a little old lady in a red coat, but what they didn’t know she was a runner herself, would always be a runner. Though she had stopped running that didn’t stop her from supporting other runners, and that’s why she returned to that spot every year.

Once she was asked why did she come out in the cold to cheer runners when so many runners just ignored her and went about with their run. She just smiled explained that running brought her joy, and though she didn’t run now, it still brought her happiness to see so many others take it up. This happiness brought a smile on her face, fueled it, and she knew when someone hi fived her back, this energy, this fuel, passed on to them, magically. When they smiled back they remembered to relax, and when they relaxed they enjoyed their run more, they experienced the run better, felt stronger, ended up doing better, from her magical touch. She bore no ill will to those who ignored her, she knew they were focused on their run and didn’t want to break their rhythm and focus, so went about with their run, and were perfectly right in doing so. She was there to for those who needed her the most.

Saying this she was greeted with a big hug from a runner who came across the road just to hug and thank her, who then continued with her run. She in turn continued to stretch out her hand, hi fiving the runners, cheering them on as they went by.