Walking the Walk

I have already blogged this week but I have a story to tell everyone. Our School has really embraced the acts of kindness philosophy . This really hit me just how much while I was at the tri (our local gym). With the cold weather I almost always see someone from Silent River on the track,bikes or in the fitness room. When you are there almost every day you also get to know a lot of faces even if you don't know names.My attention was taken by a face attached to an older woman. she walks the track at least every other time I'm there. She walks with a limp and wears these rubber shoes, you know the ones with the holes in them. They are great for gardening or rain but have no support and are hard to walk in for a long ways. A fellow student from Silent River commented to me about this woman and how for months she had been carrying a spare set of runners with her in her bag in hopes of giving the elderly woman a good set of shoes to walk in. Today I had the pleasure of seeing this student approach the woman and make the offer of the shoes. The woman refused the shoes on the grounds her feet were misshaped and didn't fit into anything other than the rubber shoes. The fellow student then walked at least another km. with her and listened to her thoughts of the day. This turned out to be the act of kindness.
A short time later I was walking with yet another fellow student to the change rooms when we came upon another woman who uses a walker to get around. She was struggling to open a door. Almost at the same time we both said "let me get that door for you" she was quicker than me and climbed over a bench and at least a dozen pairs of shoes and winter boots to open the door.
I had to laugh at myself for the feeling of competition that over came me to be the one to open that door.
I can't think of a better feeling there is to be part of such a great bunch of people to train with and to have in my life on a day to day bases.
Thank you Silent River Kung Fu for living the life and walking the walk.

Linda Shipalesky