people

With how much we are shown the torture, the crisis and the pain that goes on in our world, it is sometimes so easy to forget what the heart of humanity can look like.  These past few days I have been moved to tears multiple times because of people.  None of these have been people that I know, just happen to cross paths at certain times.  The first was on Saturday morning while I was running.  There were two men going for a run together, both decked out in their athletic gear and looked like they were ready to go.  However, one of these men was in a wheelchair and suffered from some sort of muscle disease.  The man that laid in this specialized wheelchair had the biggest smile I have ever seen plastered across his face.  The second man that was pushing the wheelchair also sported a beautiful smile as he stretched.  I said hello, as I do whenever I pass someone while running, but I couldn't help to keep smiling.  Then I stopped and started crying (yes, in the middle of my run, burst out in tears, on the side of the road-probably a really humorous site for passerby's).  I couldn't not help but be overwhelmed by the beauty of what I had just seen.  This was a natural, most likely daily thing for these two by the looks of their fitness level, attire, and comfort of the situation.  Another was a group standing on the side of Roosevelt Rd. today holding large neon signs for a car wash.  I pulled over and asked what they were trying to raise money for and the man informed me that they were trying to fundraise for a family that had recently lost everything in a fire, their home and all of their belongings.  Thankfully, everyone was safe, but they had to start their lives over.  I didn't know the situation of who these people were, but they were devoting time and energy to help out a friend, family member or who knows, maybe even just an acquaintance.  The last one that I am going to talk about wasn't someone I came across but a video that I was shown today....

This man has such a pure heart.  The love that he shows for his fiancee is just unconditional.  All of these people are full of love.   A love that hopefully all of us will experience in our lives in some capacity.

Each of these encounters has brought me to examine aspects of my life.  Thinking about what I am actually doing with my days, how I am treating those around me, the love I am pouring out, am I really serving those around me?  A good friend of mine spoke into my life earlier this summer and reminded me of some lyrics from a favorite band of mine that really struck a chord in my heart..."In these bodies we will live/ in these bodies we will die/ where you invest your love/ is where you invest your life."-Mumford & Sons.  Something to evaluate on a daily basis..where am I really investing all of my love?