Onward Warrior

Courtney and I have this theory that we can always tell when someone was a cross country runner because they say hi to other people while running. And sometimes, on particularly brutal days (i.e. when it's really hot, really cold, stormy...), they'll say things like: good job! keep going!

After so many years of running for a team sport, it's engrained in us.

But on Sunday, our theory went to pot.

Atlanta recently opened the part of the BeltLine that connects Midtown, the Highlands and Inman Park. The combination of the absolutely perfect weather, as well as Atlantans having a clear yearning for the safe, traffic-free path, left the BeltLine absolutely packed with happy people. Runners, walkers, bikers, bladers (lie. I was the only one on rollerblades), were filled with very evident joy. People were saying hello, smiling, jumping...! I almost danced to my music, and I think if I had taken the leap, others would have followed suit. It was a path of pure joy.

One business even put out a sign that says, "Onward Warrior" pointing to the path. I obviously loved this, because it made me feel like we really were a team. Team BeltLine.

I'm so excited about the path being right by my house, and am crossing my fingers big time that they continue to grow it. That way Team BeltLine can cruise allll around the city.

PS: I know the picture makes the path look awkwardly empty, but I was just around a little bend. I swear I'm not lying like when I tried to tell you other people still rollerblade...

yaaay birthday

Whoeee. What a happy week last week was. Thank you so (so, so, sssoo) much to everyone who made my birthday amazing. I felt so overwhelmingly loved. It makes my heart full just thinking about it.

I don't want to call any individual activity out, for fear of making one seem less special to me - because I really just loved everything that has transpired during the last week. 

So I will just leave it at that. That I can't even really explain how grateful I am, but I am 100 percent positive that birthdays have to be one of the happiest days ever.
 
I hope you had a wonderful September Five, too. Thank you again for the sweet loving. I love you all :)

all the love in the world

My love language is words of affirmation.

I love words. I love compliments. I love giving them. To my friends - to strangers. They make me happy. Like. Really happy.

I recently stumbled upon The World Needs More Love Letters and, needless to say, I am in love. It's a site dedicated to writing and distributing love letters to strangers. You can request that a friend in need be sent one, or you can love letter your world by leaving them anonymously in random places.

I want to be part of this project, stat. I want to write and drop letters all over Atlanta. And someday, I seriously hope I am in a coffee shop and find a letter someone else has dropped.

Get inspired along with me: check out the video about how it got started.
image one by duke biber and two

this life is pretty amazing

Last year I was very scared to turn 25.

It sounded so old and big and like I was supposed to know things and have stuff figured out.

But 26. Whewee.

26 is a lot less scary.

Sure, it is closer to 30 than 20, but it's still pretty far away from it. And also, 25 turned out to be pretty amazing, and I didn't experience any sort of memory loss or effects of aging as I feared I would just one year ago.

I'm not one of those people who tells college kids: these are the best days of your life. You better enjoy it now because it's all over after this.

Yes. College was amazing and fun.

But every year it seems like life just keeps getting happier, and I think: welp. There's no way next year will be able to top this one! Of course each year has its own trials and tribulations, but I just feel so lucky to be living and learning with such amazing people by my side (both literally and across America) as they unfold.

So on the eve of the start of my 26th year of life, I am not scared, but excited. I can't wait to see what this year brings!

PS: For my birthday I just have one tiny request for all of the people I previously mentioned that are far away make a quick trip to Atlanta, so you can all literally be by my side. Not so much to ask, right?