One time friend/masseuse Kevin Jordan was working on my quad, and telling me how we regularly have an influence on other people, and usually we don't even know we are doing it. Making a difference in their lives. Seeing Nicole at the race reminded me of one such influence that came my way courtesy of her.

I'd lost a dear friend only a few days prior, I was sinking into a dark hole. Carrying on as best I could wasn't going very well. Part of carrying on meant that, it being Tuesday, I was at the track. I think it was 4x600 meters with embedded change of speed, a typical Ric Rojas workout for me at that time. This friend had been a great runner, so the idea of getting out and running was a bit painful.

I vividly remember sitting on the infield in my own bleak and empty world, and suddenly there was Nicole doing intervals. In the early February morning light, she looked absolutely spectacular---magnificent, powerful. I remember thinking "things may be bad, but there is still THIS!" It was a breath of life coming at me, something simple yet full of meaning. That which was good about running still existed and that was a good thing.

It was the visual image of the intense graceful motion that did it to me, hit me so very hard, this vision of something pure and good in the act of running, the athletic ideal. I was able to grab onto this and start moving forward toward action and choice. It was a critical healing moment, and really was like a flash of lightning.

And now 10+ years later, it might be Patty running down the alley, or Tyler and/or Mitchell breaking 11 for 100 meters, or maybe even me feeling fast and running with good form, I get a little jolt of that same thing. I'm still mindful of and actively seeking...whatever that was that I experienced that day, which is hard to verbalize accurately.

If my photography shows this and brings it out, life is very good indeed.

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