People who are doing things in their lives that are extraordinary, exceptional, these are the people I long to meet, long to learn from. Recently, I have met a couple of people who fit this category (I am certain, however, that many people with whom I already know fill this category as well, but that I have yet to discover what special, amazing activities they have and are engaging in.)

The first person of noteworthy mention is a man I met a little over a month ago. I avidly roller blade at the same location and often come across the same people during this time. During one of my typical outings, I met him. Now given the atmosphere, a constant stream of exercising bodies in motion, it is not difficult to behold dozens upon dozens of exceptionally attractive people. This man is one of the exceptionally attractive. Not only did my eyes and heart do an obvious, unintentional double take, the strength of the attraction was undeniable on both ends! To my fear, excitement, and hope I looked back only to find him pedaling steadily back in my direction!

After meeting him several times on the trail, and a mix of great conversation, I was stunned to find out that his only mode of transportation in Los Angeles was the bike he so agilely maneuvered at my side. Not only was this an astonishing fact to learn, but he continued to say that this has been the case for the past ten years. TEN YEARS. I had never known anyone in my life who had ventured such an incredible feat. He told me it disgusted him to watch cars, how they polluted our precious air, destroyed our world. He said that when he is on his bike he feels the freest. He has traveled long distances on his bike and has only rented or used alternative modes of transportation when the situation truly made any other option impossible. He also said that he wanted to never own a car again and was working on a way of making this desire reality.

Living in a capitalistic, material driven world, I was completely, utterly moved. Talking with him was like talking to someone from a different world. I know that the time I spent with him was precious, that within the short conversations we exchanged that my outlook on the world has already changed, completely. I aspire to be more like this man.

It is of no wonder then, that within his company, I met another exceptional person. This lady works for a nonprofit organization and further inspired me with one simple gesture. She told me that she had given a cardboard box to a friend of hers, but had forgotten to give her the top. We commented on how the design of the box was nice and she said, “It’s too nice to throw away. I don’t like throwing things away. I wonder what I could do with it?” Then an idea brightened her kind eyes and face and she said, “Yes, maybe I can use it as a tray.” And, with that, once again my world was moved, shaken, given an innocent, beautiful wake up call.

I know that many people do such things on a daily basis. I know this for I believe in the beauty of the human spirit and mind. I believe it exists in the purest form in many people I have yet to have the honor and privilege to meet, to be further inspired by. From a personal standpoint, I know that I have a long way to go. My actions, try as I might, are still not as great as I want them to be, as great as they can be, such as I know is the case for most people. But this is also part of the incredible texture of life; that we are all striving to be the best we can possibly be, everyday. And, so I continue to let keep myself open to the world, continue to let myself be inspired by every wonder it holds.

To be noted as well, these individuals do not have cable and only have a television set so to enable their ability to watch DVD’s. It has been one of my goals for the past couple of years to completely rid myself of my television set. Though it is an excuse, I grew up with a family that habitually watched television rerun after television rerun. It is a “drug” that has been a part of my life so long, it feels almost frightening to be without, sort of like getting rid of one’s childhood security blanket. But, it has also been a dream of mine to have a room filled with bookshelf upon bookshelf lined with tattered pages of long weathered words I have read completely. I feel alive when I read, I feel closer to myself then I do when I turn on the mind numbing television set. I find richness within the pages that cannot be found any other place. At times, I also find that books offer pure, closer human connection to the mind than sometimes can be offered when in direct communication with another, wherein sometimes, external factors, nonverbal misperception of communication, etc. can distort one’s message, make it less clear, but when it is printed on page, laid out with careful attention, it becomes a wealth of mental, life enriching beauty.

Written for your inspiration.