friendship and community…
Natali and I arrive at the school and usually the girls are running around like wild children. The school bell just rang and they are like caged animals that have finally been let out of their little cubes. They scream when they see us and run to hug, ask questions, tell us things that have happened, and update us on why one of the girls went home early from school.
Everyone fills their water bottles, takes a bathroom break, changes from their school clothes to their running clothes. And then we sit out on the grass on blankets while we talk about the issues that face girls…how to be a good friend instead of a catty friend, how to help the world and contribute in a positive way, and how to believe in yourself…even when other people don’t.
We play games that help to make those things happen and hopefully get into their minds and hearts, we laugh alot, we learn things that we practice at home, we walk, and…we run.
This past weekend every girl on our team ran the official 5k. And every girl cheered the other girls on. Every girl finished. And each girl did their best…and probably their best time.
I’m so proud of each of these girls. When we came together at the beginning of the season there were different ages and different backgrounds. In those differences everyone became friends…some very unexpectedly.
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