Sheila and Sarah Day 18

Sheila Day 18

Today I had a chance to go and see the snowmobile races in Pine Lake. It is always kind of a rush to see a race of any sort as there is always a risk for the individual racing.  There are a lot of things that I saw today as the races were unfolding, and weirdly enough, it was like I was LOOKING for something that I had not seen before.

I have been to the races many times in the past few years, heard some of the same names, watched as newcomers have made their way to the top of the heap, and ironically, I have learned a lot about life through the process.  First of all, today was frigid!  I can only imagine how much one must love the winter to choose to fight the elements each and every weekend throughout the winter! BRRRRRRRR! I think that life is full of extremes.  Extreme highs and extreme lows that threaten to stop us dead in our tracks.

There were those today that were literally stopped dead in their tracks!  There was one who rolled his sled, and the crash sent him limping back to the pits where his day of racing was indeed done.  I find myself wondering about the battered racer as I can only imagine the beating a body must take and how hard it is on the mind when you lose control.  I know that many times in my past I have found myself limping back where life's rat race had left my body, mind, and soul battered hoping that the next day would present a new opportunity to try and recoup my losses.

Then there is that one racer.  The one who I have never seen win a race yet.  The one whose name is always on the roster, who always aspires to make it to the front, but never quite gets there.  He is always in the middle of the pack or very close to the bottom.  And I found myself thinking, dang it takes a lot of fire and passion to get onto your machine each and every week, brave the elements, and know that you will never quite reach the top.  That rider has a ton of heart and soul!  How many of us are like that rider?  Middle of the pack or close to the bottom, but still reaching . . . still trying . . . still hoping that maybe one day our day will come???

Today the conditions were tough.  There was no wind in the beginning and the snow dust is miserable for riders to see.  They have to really focus, pay attention, and ride with caution as they fight to maintain their speed and not crash into the rider directly ahead of them.  Focusing and paying attention is very difficult for human beings and I am certainly no exception to THAT rule!  How often to we just not engage in the moment.  We don't listen to what the signs are telling us?  We just don't pay attention to what is directly in front of us and then we crash hurting someone in the process.  GUILTY!  

Racing is HARD!  One can be a front runner the whole race, and then in the final lap, catastrophe happens.  You can be on the top one minute and in the blink of an eye, it is snatched away from you.  I watched this happen over and over and over as you just never know what is going to happen next. Then the riders come back to the pits, fix their sleds, and hope the next race will prove to be more productive.  We never know what cards we are going to be dealt in the game of life.  We never know if or when catastrophe is going to happen to one of us, our family, our friends, or even someone that we barely know that has somehow touched our heart strings.  Life is full of variables that make completing the race exceedingly difficult; however, that IS life!  To not participate is to not live . . . to not live, is to waste the gift of life that we have been given.

So like the snowmobilers I saw today, we will break down at times, we will discover that our bodies equipment is faulty and broken, we will get caught in conditions where the elements threaten to overcome us, we will see the top only to find ourselves on the bottom, but HOPEFULLY if we have faith, we will find the STRENGTH to stay in the race!

Rah's BFF Kate's boyfriend Wes Selby

Sarah Day 18

Jesse and I had planned on spending the day together, sleeping in and lounging around. We didn't plan on doing much of anything, but around noon we decided that we should spend a few hours out and about finishing our Christmas shopping. He and I both have a busy week coming up. I have to work Monday-Friday at the office and then Thursday-Sunday at LoHo. Jesse has to work a few evening shifts this week and a couple of mornings. Our schedules are not meshing well at the moment, so we're trying to make the best of our time.

When we got to the mall, it was packed and there were people everywhere. We decided to grab a bite to eat first, so we picked a spot where I was able to people watch. I must admit that people watching has become one of my favorite activities since mom and I started the blog this year. I've noticed that sometimes around the holidays, people can be a little more rude and cranky than normal, which is a bit frustrating. The holidays are supposed to bring out the happy in all of
us!

So today, I was trying especially hard to focus on watching for the simple and kind things that people were doing. I wasn't sure if it would be one of those days where the Christmas cheer was lacking. I was unsure if people would be in a hurry, bumping into others and knocking things off shelves without picking them up, as they searched for their last minute gifts. I find it much easier to see the bad things in these sort of situations rather than the good. Which is what this blog is supposed to be about . . . seeing the good in all situations.

When we finished eating, we made our way through the crowds to hit the stores that we needed to go to before we took off. It seemed that for the most part, people were in a great mood today. I couldn't help but notice all of the people in jewelry stores looking for a little something sparkly for a loved one. There were couples looking at engagement rings (not us though . . .) and dads with their kids looking for something for mom. The ladies were smiling, kids were giggling, and the men were all seeking that perfect Christmas gem. Yup, the jewelry stores were packed with sparkles and twinkles . . . it was a wonderfully sweet sight.

However, it wasn't just the jewelry stores that were filled with happiness. The happy was everywhere! When a person accidentally dropped something on the floor, someone else picked it up. When a customer had a question on where an item was located, a store worker would happily guide them to the item, rather than just point them in the right direction. I even noticed a couple of strangers making small talk about their holiday plans as they rummaged through the racks. When Jesse and I were walking out of the mall, the door was constantly being held by someone else. I didn't see one person shut the door on another persons face . . . not even by accident.

It was a great day for Christmas shopping today and I was pleasantly surprised by that. The smiles seemed to be contagious and I could feel the love that surrounded myself and everyone else. I was
super excited when I realized that I couldn't think of one negative thing that I saw. Not one thing! I was DEFINITELY seeing the Christmas spirit and I couldn't have ignored it if I tried!