Sunday, May 8, 2011

Shalom - hello

Shalom to all hoolagins!
I am back from a 4.8k run, and I am DYING to tell you what happened today. First, let me make this clear - this was the best run I EVER had because of what happened while I was running.
So, I am running to myself listening to Stevie Wonder down this steep hill, and I see that this overweight guy is biking up this hard hill, and I couldn't help myself and just say 'Shalom!' and wave at him, and the smile the came after that showed me that I had made his day. I felt sooooooooooooo good I wanted to jump up and down from this, which I couldn't really do because I was running. So, anyway tonight is Israel Memorial Day and there was supposed to be a siren at 8:00pm for a minute and stand still either say Tehillim - Psalms or just stand and talk to Hashem or just stand and think about all the soldiers that died to keep me, my family, my friends, my city, my country and my world safe. I stopped while I was running to do all of the above, and I started crying. I was thinking of the families that were waiting for this soldier to come home, to give him a pat on the back and to smile at that soldier. But that never happened. That smile was never given, nor gotten.
The siren ends fast, and I start running again. I decide right there and then, that in the honor of these soldiers who never got that smile, I was going to smile and say shalom to everybody I pass while I am running. So it starts a little awkward. But, every time I did it, I felt so good! So, the reactions were like this:
1. What is this almost-13-yr-old with a pink running hat smiling at me weirdly???
2. OK, that was weird... I'll just act like I ignored that (which I don't do very well)...
3. Smile
4. Smile AND saying hello back!
Which was most reacted? Yes! #4 happened like 70% of the time! Just doing it, even without that reaction, made me feel like I was making this world a better place, and all those evil bad people that just want bad in this world gets slapped in the face every time I do it.
I came back with such a smile that it started to hurt! Now, I have a job for each and every one of you - say hello today or tomorrow to 3 strangers. I have a couple of rules:
1. They can't be together
2. They can't be on a screen.
3. You can do it anywhere!!!!
4. AND HAVE FUN!
Please, please, please email me telling me what it was like. The stranger's reaction, your reaction to the stranger's reaction - tell me EVERYTHING!
If you want to, you can email this post to your friends and family and colleagues, and so friend/family/colleague - tell me what it was like: adinamenina@gmail.com!
Shalom!

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