Jolt from cheering others on

When was the last time a stranger cheered you on? 

For me, it was somewhere in Southern Pennsylvania, canvassing on election day! Fists were raised and then there was a high five and suddenly I was put on speaker phone with this gal’s husband… 

I remember turning to my friend Russell right afterwards and feeling such a huge smile grow on my face. The energy was infectiously positive and I could tell that together we were making a difference. 

It feels so good to be cheered on! It gives me a pep in my step and so last week on Thanksgiving, I turned the tables a bit. 

I’ve been an incessant Turkey Trot runner since I was perhaps in middle school. It was always a big challenge to say yes to a five mile run in the cold weather, but I somehow managed to do it and would feel exceptionally proud (very big deal when I was coming to DC from Miami, Florida for the holiday!). And in those stretches of the race where people had signs up cheering us on and had their cowbells ringing in full force, it was like a bolt of energy passed directly from them to me. 

The cheering was a nice dose of gatorade to quench my tired and cold soul and feet. 

But this year, I didn’t run in the race. I cheered the racers on.

It was slightly cold, but primarily rainy on Thursday and as the runners moved into their final half mile stretch, I clapped my gloved hands and yelled everything from, “Way to go Turkey clan” to “Looking strong.”

And what I saw back were lips curled higher to the sky, racers lifting their fists in jubilation, and lots of children who went from walking to suddenly sprinting ahead. 

Many folks wished me, “Happy Thanksgiving” and “Thanks for being here”

Perhaps I’m just a very sentimental person, but I felt tears of joy pass through, as I cheered others on. It wasn’t about the gratitude I was getting from others. It was about being able to palpably see how my presence and energy was giving others a dose of strength and energy to make it through. 

Being a cheerleader comes very naturally to me. But not everyday do I share in this strength. 

So dear spoker, I’d love to know. How can I cheer you on today? And how perhaps can you cheer someone on (perhaps a stranger, perhaps a dear one) with affirming words and energy so they can find their strength? 

Maybe in the process, you’ll feel a jolt of energy and strength coming right back to you, too? 

Wheels up, 

Ellen