I Spy With My Little Eye

It rained again this week. It rained almost every day. When it rains every day we want the sun. When it is sunny every day we want the rain. It rained a lot and I rested some...but I still trained, I still felt the rain and I continued to open my eyes to spy.

While running one day this week I spied a happy family. The family and I were both under a bridge by the river. The kids had balloon hats on their heads and balloon animals in their hands. They sat on the steps and waited for the rain to stop. I did my back kicks, roundhouse kicks and fast squats. They sat on the steps and watched. I felt a little awkward kicking the air as they watched; but when the kids stood up and started running up and down the steps to join in the training I felt once again a sense of belonging to the moment. We inspire each other to move. I remembered the streets of China, when I joined in the fan dancing, had no idea what I was doing, and was accepted right away into the group exercise. Maybe we should start group exercise in parks all over the US? Fountain Square Dancing Friday nights. Togetherness. I spied a connection.

While traveling to and from the pool one day this week I saw a Cincinnati Police Officer friend conversing with the man selling newspapers on a corner and keeping the streets downtown safe. I felt a sense of community as I drove by and we waved. During that same trip a Pic's Produce truck pulled out in front of me. My mom's Italian family's produce business that started in OTR in 1918 has grown under the management of her cousins and is still serving the community of Cincinnati today, http://www.picsproduce.com/. I wonder if my grandpa or great grandpa and grandma liked to swim, bike or run? I wonder if any ancestors from Italy liked to swim, bike or run? They liked produce...and so do I. Connection I spy:  fruits and vegetables promote good health, happiness and participation in life. Bring on the fruits and vegetables. An appreciation for health must run in the family. I also walked by the Drop In Center on the way to the pool. The people outside were 'friendly'. I was given a 'heyyyy' and was called 'mama'. Rather than looking down, walking faster or ignoring the situation I smiled and responded with a thumbs up. Come join me. And so it happens. The Cincinnati Drop In Center is a place of beauty and a symbol for compassion. Read this if you have doubts: http://www.dropinn.org/news/press-release/default.aspx?item=67e85c58-a4f8-468f-9329-5b890e1d1aa7 

Togetherness. I spied lots of connections.

Finally, I ended the week with a bike ride on the 'west side'. I spied the beauty of quiet country roads on this solitude trip. Nothing like gazing into the sun under blankets of trees to feel a connection with the world. The first surprise was a beaver with his two big teeth running for cover as I breezed by him. Next I spied three deer behind a fence. I stopped my bike. We stared into each other's little eyes for a bit. They eventually ran and I rode off. Of course I spied the typical birds, squirrels, cats, dogs, occasional people, semi's, motorcycles and cars. I spied a kid taking out the trash while yelling at me to 'peddle faster!' Then out of the corner of my eye, I spied a turkey on the side of the road. I had no choice but to re-route and go spy on the turkey some more. It knew I was spying...so it slowly disappeared into the surrounding forest. Togetherness. I spied some more connections.

My favorite part of this route is climbing up the hill and spying panoramic views of the Ohio River Valley as the top gets closer and closer. The Ohio River runs 1,310 miles long, along six states, providing transportation of goods and energy sources to many cities. The 'good river' has existed long before our lives, has created cities and provided freedom to thousands of slaves as part of the Underground Railroad movement. Once more, I spied significant connections with my little eyes in this big world.
Riddle me, riddle me, riddle me de, I spy something you don't see and the color is...really such a small category, just one perceptual property.