A pleasant walk

In the fading light of day, I caught this picture of Johnny Kelly's upturned face. The statue, Young at Heart, is along Commonwealth Ave at the start of Heartbreak Hill by Newton City Hall. The statue is the young Johnny Kelly winning his first Boston marathon and the old Johnny Kelly, crossing the finish line of his last full Boston Marathon. They have their hands clasped in a victory grasp - the young and the old forever joined together encouraging all who go past.

Johnny is the coach in my head. When I run along Comm Ave, I always call out my intended mileage for the day to Johnny. Tonight I went for a walk as it started to cool down. Some one started hanging their race medals on Johnny last 4th of July and now there is a 2008 and 2009 Baystate marathon medal hanging around the neck of the young and old Johnny.

Tonight I liked how the light caught his face and pulled out the phone to snap a picture. Tonight's walk was a reminder that sometimes I need to look at familiar routes with new eyes. Next time I pass Johnny, I will call out my mileage like usual, but when I come back, his eyes will shine a bit differently as I go past.