He Chooses

Sometimes, most times, it's just the two of us.
Him walking one way.
Me walking the other.
We call each other nuts for being outside but, the colder the day, the more we just bundle up
& we giggle at each other each time our paths cross.

"I KNEW it was you under there !" he laughs, as he peeks beyond my hood, scarf and sunglasses
& he knows I will stop to talk because we always do.
For months now, we do.
It's funny though, all the times we have huddled in the brrrrr, we've yet to exchange names.
He's just the friendly man with the big grin that I see on my walks.

Some people are just so darn pleasant
& my pal in the park is one of those people.
Always smiling, always thrilled to be there.
He's quite a few years older than me and it's not all that easy for him to make it around the 2.2 mile trail.
But, he does.
Ever so slowly, he does
& every time I see his happy face I think, 'he chooses'.

Nobody is forcing this man to come out to our park on the coldest of days.
He chooses to be there
& nowhere is it written that he has to walk the 'big' trail.
He could easily stay on the smaller path.
But, he chooses
& nothing says that he has to look my way or acknowledge my presence.
He just chooses to smile and talk and be nice to another human being who happens to be there too.

He chooses
& he brightens my days with the choices he's made.
I can only hope I do the same for him.

If given the choice
& we all are given a choice, take this lesson from my always jolly, good decision making friend ...

Choose nice.
Choose smiles.
Choose going that extra mile.

Choose Happy.
Because I guarantee if you choose to be, you will.

:)

I Am My Feelings