To Encourage

Several years ago as I ran through the streets of Hartford in my first road half marathon I was so inspired by total strangers who cheered for me. I saw posters intended for specific moms or sorority sisters or best friends, but the people holding the signs still shouted out to me! "Go, Mom!" I hadn't realized in wearing a shirt with that word printed across the chest that it would be my call sign in the race, but I was comfortable with it. I waved and nodded and smiled, and I promised myself that I would take my kids to cheer on marathon runners someday, too.

And so two Saturdays ago before hunkering down for General Conference we borrowed our favorite eight-year old neighbor and went to the finish line of the Charlottesville Marathon. We were stocked with OJ and cereal bars from Trader Joes. The kids made mini signs and we each came up with our own individual cheer to encourage runners down the last stretch. 

Last year we diligently practiced cheering on our UVA teams, but this year I want to continue teaching them how to be in the cheering section. Marathon cheering is developmentally appropriate for all ages--no one needs to be worried about being run over, volume control isn't an issue, and there is a constant stream of people on the course to keep everyone interested.  I bribed them with jelly beans for each acknowledgement people gave them, and that made them wave a little louder. We called out to them by their number or whatever was printed on their shirts. A woman in yellow said "thanks for all all the encouragement" as she came back up the street after finishing. It was a good first race. I'll take them again so that they can practice encouraging with a new set of strangers.

On the way home I started to think more about an urgent mandate I've been feeling to "love [my] neighbor". It is the second greatest commandment, after all. There are so many ways to do this, and today it seemed like standing on a curb on a race route was a neighborly way to love complete stranger neighbors. We were in the right place.

As I thought about the concept of "place", I felt a heart-full of love for this college town we call home. As we walked through Court Square and a few blocks onto Park Street, I got the camera out again even though the sun was high and the conditions were far from perfect. Even in harsh light Charlottesville's unique homes downtown are worth admiration.

It was all I could do to stay on the sidewalk and not go peek in the dozens of uniquely shaped windows.I confess I thought the yards seemed rather empty without kids in them. These homes are made for big families.  I wonder who my neighbors on Park Street are. 

I wonder who cleans their windows because they looked immaculate from where I stood.

I wonder if the people inside need encouragement and if their neighbors are providing it. I wonder how long these walls have stood and how many different families have made homes inside of them. Did they all go to church together? Have they had block parties together? Have they taken meals to each other at the arrival of babies and the death of loved ones? Do they still do that?

My musings didn't last long--I had children with me--but I was grateful for some brief moments to consider this community and how we can interact for good.