Cross Country Life Lessons….

Our kids participated in a cross country meet yesterday at a neighbouring school. Actually, it wasn’t neighbouring at all, it was far.

 
Hanna joined cross country for the same reason she joins any school clubs and teams. Participation might result in missing a few minutes to a full day of school.

 
Ellie joined because this is the first year she’s allowed to participate in any school clubs or teams and she plans to stamp her name on every sign-up sheet within a 100kms radius. The number of clubs joined is directly related to the number of pictures you will make it into in the yearbook.

 
Hanna waved to me as she crossed the finish line while sweetly mouthing the words, “I’m totally gonna barf.”

 
Ellie tripped early on in the race but thankfully, they had to run 20kms (or more) so she had time to recoup.

 
When Ellie crossed the finish line, she was very emotional. I too am emotional minutes after finishing a marathon run which at this point in my life is zero times. (and counting)

 
She told me she hurt her wrist when she fell and she cried for most of the race.

 
I thought the tears were from pain or embarrassment from the fall but they weren’t.

 
Ellie said two kids from two different schools passed her during the race. One turned to her and asked, “Hey, are you okay?” The other said, “Good for you for getting up and finishing the race.”

 
She said it was the nicest thing she’d ever heard.

 
Random acts of kindness that bring kids to tears. Let’s have more of them.