I see this pair walking around the lake just about every single day.  I do not know them but imagine they must be yearlong residents somewhere on my road, unlike the majority of folks who own seasonal houses and who will return only with the warmer spring weather.  I have passed them on occasion during my runs with Clarence.  They are probably in their eighties; she is always in a dress or skirt.  They walk along at a brisk pace and appear oblivious to wicked cold, biting wind, snow, and the elements in general.

These two bring a smile to my  face every time I see them.  I do not know why I find them so reassuring, but I think it has something to do with what a dear friend has been known to quip about people who have made it to their eighties and beyond:  They won.

I love that idea.  And even though I don’t know these people, I like to think that what they have between them is unmovable.  It is certainly enduring.  There are lessons to be learned here.

We should shut up and listen.