More Cowbell!!!!

Today I had the privilege of cheering my brother and sister on in their first triathalon.  It was a very exciting experience!  The morning started very, very early and was a little nerve wracking...  :)  My sister can not see AT ALL without her glasses.  I was her glasses coordinator.  She handed them to me as she got into the brown, murky water.  I had the job of watching for her in the water, and then handing her the glasses when she got out.   I watched and watched for her in the water, but all of the swimmers had the same gray swim caps on.  It was challenging to say the least.  I did eventually see her and was so proud of her.  I felt like crying.  Not a sad cry, but a very happy cry.  :)  I felt the same way when my brother came out of the water, but he could see just fine, so I didn't worry quite so much.  :) 
While I was waiting for them, I was looking around at all of the athletes and their loved ones.  People fascinate me.  They always have...  I loved sociology classes in college and have "studied" people from afar.  I think that this started when I was very young.  That phase when you don't quite know who you are but the things other people do help you to discover some of the answers to lingering questions was fun for me.  I love how everyone tells at least part of their stories in different ways.  
Tattoos, for example, tell so much and yet so little sometimes.  I think about the story behind the tattoo.  Why did the girl in the doctor's office get a butterfly on her foot?  Did she do it for beauty or does that butterfly have significant meaning to her?  The people with the full back tattoos REALLY fascinate me.  I usually ask people what their stories are, because I am genuinely curious about it.  I am interested in them. 
I also love car magnets.  I am on the verge of being obsessed with them.  It all started with my friend, Michelle and her many window stickers.  They had numbers on them and I had no idea what the numbers were for.  I asked her and she told me that they were from the races that she had run.  She travels to run.  Hmmm...  Travel to run?  This is passion!  :)  I love it when people love things so much that they will travel for them.  I have never been that person, with the exception of traveling to see loved ones.  But I have never traveled for a race, or anything like that. 
I do think bumper stickers and car magnets tell a lot about a person.  Right now, the only magnet I have on my car is one telling everyone where I went to college.  It's funny, but I didn't even care about that until my daughter chose my alma mater.  :)  Now I am all about it!  We have something else in common and I love it! 
I saw many stickers and magnets on cars today.  I also saw many tattoos.  In the end though, no matter what our stories, we are all part of the same human race.  I love that!
I actually stood in the wrong area, waiting for my brother and sister to come to the finish line.  There were two and I didn't realize that...  It's ok though, because I rang my cowbell for other people's brothers and sisters, daughters, sons, mothers and fathers.  I cheered them on and I congratulated them on a job well done.  It was so nice to see their smiles, their peace signs and cheering arms.  Today taught me something.  We could all use a little more cowbell!  :)