today i finally made my way back to the Y for a little cardio workout. i'd been rockin' the yoga a lot these last few months so i decided to get my vegan heart pumping a little more on the elliptical. as soon as i entered the 80's style locker rooms i settled on the second row of benches to change. a mother and her fourish son and sixish daughter were getting ready to go swimming. the mother seemed to be talking to herself as the children were not speaking back to her. the little boy began to crawl under the benches. he wasn't right next to me, but somehow this all began to irritate me. little man crawling on the dirty carpets like a little monkey. eck. she decided to ask him to stop and for this i was grateful, but feeling slightly agitated at all the stimulus around me. i noticed she was trying to stuff her daughter's massive curly hair into a bright green diver's cap, as she murmered something about needing to throw a bunch of rubber bands in their gym bag so they always have them. it just so happens that when i pulled my earphones out of my purse a hairtie came with it. "would you like this?" i asked her. she made a pleaful face, "can i?" of course you can! i gave it to her and then i became calm and at ease. interacting with them brought me peace. it also paid forward the time i asked unsuspecting gym goers in the locker room for a hair tie, and got one.