In the past week, I have been surprised on three different occasions by people who made positive comments to me while I was out running and walking. Two of the people I had never seen before, the third woman is another dog walker in the neighborhood who I see on a daily basis, but I don't go beyond remarking about the weather. Perhaps because I am not overly cheerful or outgoing myself, I was really surprised and touched at their comments. Growing up, my grandma always said "hi" to people that she met while out walking and I remember asking her on multiple occasions if she knew that person. She would say, "No, but saying hi is the nice thing to do." I do greet people when I am out walking, but I don't normally carry the conversation beyond that. In fact, I actually try to avoid this particular dog walker, due to my one dog's behavior towards other dogs, but also because I find the lady to be weird. Well, the weird lady made me smile by telling me that I looked good while I was running with the little babe in her stroller.
So did the old man, no longer able to run himself, who called from across the street, "You're looking good young lady! Keep it up!" I wasn't feeling too good at the moment, but that made me pick up the pace for a couple more blocks.
The comment that really surprised me though, was not about my running, but about my parenting. Almost every day, the little babe and I go on two walks with the dogs - one with Lola the slow waddler and then a second walk with the two or three faster dogs (sometimes Birkie decides not to go). We walk in all kinds of weather, even snow. I have had people make various comments to me, normally nice ones about how do I handle all of the dogs, how much exercise I get, etc. I have even had a lady offer to drive me home (with two dogs and a baby!) because she was afraid of us slipping on the ice. The annoying ones are the people that actually slow down their cars to stop and stare at the crazy dog lady with her baby - I want to tell them that it is $5 per stare. I had one man ask me if it would be easier with three babies and one dog. As I was straining to control my three dogs at the moment, I did not respond in a nice way.
So last week when I heard a car slowing down, I just ignored it and kept on walking. Then I heard someone say, "Excuse me", and I assumed they were going to ask for directions. Instead, the woman told me that she lives in the neighborhood and how much she has enjoyed seeing my baby grow up over the past two years. She said that her kids have said, "That Mom is awesome!" She told me how it was great that I am outside all of the time, getting my baby out (who always has a smile on her face), how it is good for my dogs, and for myself, that "you look great!" I thanked her and told her that it was a good thing for all of us - Mom, dogs, and baby - to get outside. I then smiled for the rest of the walk home. I have no idea who the woman was; I have never seen her in the neighborhood before, but she apparently sees me. She didn't have to stop and tell me that, I probably even gave her an annoyed look at first. She was just being nice. To another Mom, to a neighbor, to another dog owner. She apparently thought those things were enough to make her talk to a stranger.
So I guess the simple moral of my story is - be nice and speak up. If you think somebody's garden looks nice - tell them. If you like their hair style - tell them. If it is a beautiful sunrise, comment on it. Say "good morning" with some inflection in your voice. One kind comment from you might be the bright spot in their day.