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Health & Fitness

Sighting: Super Hero in Pink Shorts?

The power of influence is in all of us.

Does my life make a difference in this world? That is one of the main questions in life, and we have all asked it at some point. 

How we answer that question has huge implications on the attitude we choose and the experiences that we have.

I’m going to suggest that we all have a very important role to play on earth, and that we influence many more people than we will ever know. 

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I live in Woodbury and I’ve been inspired by a gentleman that probably doesn’t even know I exist. I was waiting at a stop light last week and I caught another glimpse of my hero—out running in the street. He was wearing pink shorts, a baggy grey T-shirt and running shoes. If I was to guess his age, I would say he was between 75 and 85. 

He had anything but a graceful gait, and had to compensate for stiff joints by bending his body forward and to the side. And yet he ran on.

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Why is this man my hero? I am inspired by people that take action to grow, to become better people, to change the world one small step at a time. 

A lot of us talk a good talk. We are going to do this, and we are going to do that, but there are too many excuses that stop us. My hero had every reason in the world to not be out running: his age, his physical condition, the hot humid weather.

And yet he ran on.

I was out running this morning, and it was just as hot and humid as last week.  The voices in my head kept telling me to walk, rather than run, to cut my route short today. And then I remembered my hero. I had goose bumps and a tear in my eye as I compared my petty excuses to the obstacles he may face every day.  And so I ran on.

How many other people has my hero inspired? How many lives have you changed from a simple smile, or a thoughtful comment, or by taking actions that give others hope? 

Your life does make a difference in this world. Choose to run on—each and every precious day.

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