The second mile

When I run lately I tend to average 3 miles (give or take depending on route and mental fortitude). The first mile is always super easy, after all I'm just getting started so I feel really good as a result. The third mile is okay; normally by that time I'm ready for it to be over with so I start picking up the pace again. That second mile, though, is always the hardest. I start hurting or losing a bit of steam, so that's when I tend to have imaginary conversations or think my deepest thoughts of the run. Anything to distract myself, ya know?

On today's run, in order to distract myself from the very real possibility of being covered in oak mites, I couldn't help but consider what makes us like a person or not. For most of my life I've been told that people had the tendency to dislike me when they first met me. I came across as bitchy or cold. Things like that. It was only after they got to know me that they realized I was funny - or whatever their particular descriptor is - and while bitchy at times, not a bitch.

What happens when we don't give people that chance though, and we automatically write them off forever as someone on our "avoid at all costs" list? It's entirely possible that they're truly a great person, and we're missing out by not interacting with them. (What? I'm trying to be positive!) Or even if they aren't, we still might be able to find some sort of common ground. Connection, people, connection. It makes us more likely to remember that everyone's a human with feelings.

Sadly, even at 31 there are some people whom if I saw I would hide behind the nearest item and pretend like they don't exist. Not nearly as many as there once were (Mom perpetually gave me a hard time for acting as though someone was invisible if I happened to see them at the mall as a teenager), but still. I'm not proud to admit this. At all. But that's part of growing up, you acknowledge your flaws and try to reduce them in your kid(s).

So as a personal challenge, I'm going to try to be more open-minded when I first interact with people (or at least act friendlier so I don't seem as bitchy). You're welcome to give it a shot, too. It could be especially helpful until this horrible election cycle is over.

One more week.

Sigh.