I’m searching for the name for the feeling, when you learn you’ve been admired and anticipated for your daily routines…and had no idea they were even being observed. I was down at Mann’s Pond last week with my staff, as I often am, practicing the sword movements that connect me with abundant nature. (Diamond 8 Cut in Shintaido).

A young mother approached me, and said to the effect that “I just want to tell you, my kids shout out ‘There goes the man with the stick!’ whenever they see you run by our house.” They apparently look for me, and are excited to see this tall man running down the street with a stick. That during COVID when they were staying so close to the house indoors, my running by was something of an event.

And they would cheer me on and clap when they saw me run by. In fact, I do remember a few times when I was running uphill, the toughest part of the run, a family outdoors clapping and cheering for me. It encouraged me and made me smile. I had no idea this was going on inside the house too.

I can resonate with that image for a while. That totally unbeknownst to me, when I’m going about my day, some family is shouting out, clapping, cheering me on.