In an effort to get a jump on the heat that was to arrive yesterday, I headed out early for my morning exercise. Making my way through my neighborhood and along the bluffs of the Mississippi River, I encountered many other runners, walkers and bikers who were doing the same. We were all out early trying to get in some cardio before the heat and humidity could make the process unbearable.

Along this particular stretch of sidewalk I frequent are poems printed directly into the concrete. They were printed there last year as a part of a project by the city. I love coming upon these words, now permanent, in the concrete I so often pound with my running shoes. I always take a moment to reread the lines that were, I imagine, labored over by poets as they sought to make beauty, humor, wisdom out a few, spare words.

But yesterday brought an added surprise. As the humidity began to rise, I made my way up the shaded side of the street. There, in yellow and blue sidewalk chalk were the words:“The world is a hologram. Make it your adventure.” What a great gift for a soon-to-be hot day! This invitation to adventure began to open up before me. Suddenly my day began to have more possibility that it had had just a few minutes ago. I wondered at the person who had printed this message with such intention. Were they hiding behind the curtained windows nearby to see who stopped to read their message?

Moving on down the block, I found another message: “Life can be fun….if you are on the right path.” Now they had my attention. Yes, life can be fun, is fun, but I so often take myself too seriously to remember. Does that ever happen to you?  I am not sure what the writer meant by ‘right’ path but I am going to assume it is the one that connects with that ‘adventure’ message. If we see life as an adventure, fun must be in it someplace.

Not too much farther along the sidewalk were just two simple words: “Be curious.” Ahhh, yes. Curiosity. The gift and playground of all creative people….artists, inventors, teachers, parents, and especially children. So the message of this sidewalk prophet was to embrace the adventure, to have fun and to be curious. My day was being seeded for something I hadn’t planned, that did not exist on any to do list I had made earlier.

And finally one last message: “Life is good.” Indeed, it is. And my life was made better by one person who took the time to grab a piece of chalk and head out to the sidewalk. Leaving a message in the spirit of a child this person gave shape to my day and lifted my spirits in ways they will never know. It was a gift. It was fun. It was an adventure.

The sidewalk prophet’s words were not permanent in concrete like the poets’. A rain or a lawn sprinkler could erase them at any moment. But nothing the heat of the day could conjure up could dampen my lifted spirits after reading their words.

And so I give thanks for this person who had an idea and followed through. Blessings on you, dear one. You made more of an impact than you might ever know.