Just call me angel of the morning.

In the past several months, I put a lot of things on hold while I tried to figure things out.

Like running. Like writing here. But I'm back to doing both. Please tell me you're happy about that!

What did I figure out? Not much. Just that you have to hold onto the people around you, the ones you love and care about, and be nice to pretty much everyone else. Because you never know what might happen next. And that's about as far as I'm going down that road, for now.

When I first started running, it was because I was a Graduate School Widow and Dr. X had fairly abandoned me for the other woman, Statistical Analysis. His extra-mathematical relationship was short-lived, but Running and I are still fairly close. Best friends, you might say.

Except I gave up on Running. Like a 12-year-old who decides to ignore her BFF out of spite and sit with new friends in the cafeteria at lunch, I thumbed my nose at the pal who'd pulled me through so much over the past six years. I sat on the couch. I read some books. Played with Daughter X. Generally, just felt sorry for myself. And then, in the epitome of a flighty middle schooler, I suddenly decided last week we were back on.

Thus, I found myself slogging through five miles very early this morning. Tramping through the heat and humidity, cursing my body and my self, and likely sweating off the five pounds I'd gained in eating Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers these past six months.

But I did it all with a smile, a wave and a "hello" for every person who ran, walked or cycled past me.

Once, when training with a buddy for a marathon, she laughed at my insistence to call out a greeting to every single person who passed us by. I generally make a habit of this - I don't when it started. And I honestly feel awful if I ignore someone - especially those who look like they're cooking in the summer heat.

"Think of all the energy you're wasting!" she pointed out.

Wasting? I don't know. For me, it's bad karma not to be kind. Or that's my new mantra, anyway (and I am excluding Gwyneth Paltrow from this resolution - sorry Gwynnie). And, once, Dr. X said something really profound that fits perfectly here: "Things are a lot less painful if you smile."

So, if you're in the park in the early morning hours, before half the world is awake - yes, that's me running by you - sweaty, grinning, and belting out a quick "hello" over the din of my IPod. Connecting in commiseration with those crazy enough to be out there along with me.

Because in running and in life, things are just a lot less painful if you smile.