Tonight I was dreading my second run of the day because of the misty San Francisco fog. Here in the city, summer months don't bring sunshine - instead, a chilly fog creeps up from the Pacific Ocean, creating a gloomy atmosphere. You find yourself wondering whether you're in the Southern Hemisphere and it's actually winter, since you can't leave your house without a pea coat and scarf even though it's August. Sorry to sound like a whiner, but for a runner, San Francisco summers are kind of a bummer :-(

At any rate, tonight I was plodding along through Golden Gate Park with a scowl, hoping and praying that 30 minutes would be up quickly. Then, I ran past a fellow runner braving the fog and chill. However, unlike me, this guy was enjoying his run - as our paths crossed, he had a great big grin on his face. Seeing him clearly glad to be out for a run, I couldn't help but smile myself. Reminded that having the opportunity to train and go for evening double is a blessing and that I've got so much to be thankful for, I turned that frown upside down and repeated my dad's favorite mantra - "I'm the luckiest kid alive!" So joyful was my run, I even ran an extra mile!

What do you know - smiles are contagious :-) So next time you run past another runner, give them a grin or acknowledge them with a wave. You never know, you might just inspire them to have a joyful run!


Full of JOY in Quito, Ecuador last summer