Do you have someone that inspires you?

Is there someone in your life that makes you stop and take notice? Or makes you want to be a better person? Or makes you want to say what the woman said after Meg Ryan faked an orgasm for Billy Crystal while they were sitting in a restaurant in the movie When Harry Met Sally, “I’ll have what ever she’s having.”

I hope you have someone like that, because I sure do.

There’s Herman Cortinez, my running coach, who always stands near the 200 meter mark while his group runs repeats, constantly cheering us on, yelling “¡Dale, dale!” and ” ¡Vamos, vamos!” He is so positive, so friendly, and so consistent. I’ve been running with his group for some time now, and I’m hoping some if his attitude rubs off on me.

There’s Nora, one of my neighbors. She’s about 80 years old, sometimes she doesn’t remember my name, but she always greets me with “Mi amorrrrrr” and has her nails painted a beautiful shade of ruby red every week. To me, it’s her nails that really get me; to me they are a symbol that she is still in the game, even at her age.

There’s my friend Brad, who lives in Texas, and whom I’ve known for about 20 years. He is one of the funniest people I have ever met, always cracking jokes and making me laugh. He is always so positive and has a great outlook on life. He recently went through a divorce, is now taking care of 2 kids on his own, and has just started dating someone (what a coincidence) from Córdoba. Even after his divorce, he hasn’t given up on love.

There’s another one of my neighbors, Hector. He’s 54 years old, ripped as all hell, good-looking as can be, always dressed to perfection, and is an Ironman. Yes, I did say that, an Ironman, with a tattoo of the IM logo on his leg to prove it. I think he has completed 3 Ironman’s at this point. I just think to myself, Geez, I wish I could even finish one of them, let alone 3! He’s really something remarkable.

I have lots of people that inspire me. When I think about them, I think they all have something in common that I find attractive.

They haven’t given up on life.

You know, I was talking to another one of my friends the other day, who also just went through a divorce, and she said she felt like she was damaged goods. I told her that fact is that pretty much after the age of thirty, we all can be considered damaged goods.

The people that inspire me are the ones that go out there and are giving it their best shot no matter what has happened to them in the past. They look on the brighter side, they are open to love, and they accept themselves and people for what they are, flaws and all.

In essence, they get up and face the world every day with an attitude as shiny and bright as the ruby red nail polish that Nora puts on her nails every Tuesday.

Te mando besos,
Jenn