Lately I’ve been working on being present, trying not to get too far ahead of myself or look too far behind. Right here, right now is my current mantra.

Keeping that in mind, I recently set out to hit a local trail with a new mission: five smiles for my miles. This isn’t the first time I’ve done this. I’ve been mentally collecting five things that make me smile while I’m out on the trail or circling the track at our local Y. I don’t look too hard—that takes the fun out of it—and I can’t leave the trail or end the workout until I find them.

So I began, trudging across the street into the parking lot finding my first smile: THE bench. I must have a hundred photos of it and each one evokes a different feeling for me. It’s my check-in point. I quietly say hello, giving it a glance to let it know I’m there, present, and ready to hit the trail.

Smile #1: the bench.

It’s also a common spot for group photos, which makes me think of all the friends that I’ve huddled with behind it. I can hear the laughs as we try to figure out who is the best at a group selfie. Who has the longest arm? Who’s the tallest? Make sure you take two! Our arms wrapped around each other’s shoulders, giving each other a squeeze, happy to be together.

I say goodbye to the bench, give thanks for the beautiful view and before hitting the trail I find my second smile: the unofficial Lost and Found spot.

Even though I hardly carry enough on a run to lose anything, I check it religiously. Strangers looking out for strangers gives me hope.

I’ve seen everything from dog tags to water bottles hovering around and on the sign as they wait to be claimed. I’ve also witnessed its success. Last year I stumbled upon a stressed-out teenager frantically combing the grassy areas and retracing his steps. He was having his senior pictures taken and at some point took his hand out of his pocket where his class ring had been for safe keeping. His cheeks were red with worry, his brow furrowed. “I was taking my hand out of my pocket to hold my trumpet, and it must have fallen out,” he explained to me and my friend Amy.

It wasn’t long before we were scouring the area for his ring and later on enlisting our friend Karen. His parents had arrived, the photographer explained what happened. It was a matter of seconds between having it in his pocket and being lost.

We searched, feeling hopeless and sad for this young man when Amy took their phone number just in case. I explained to his mom that I come to this trail often and will keep an eye out for it. The worried look on her face told me that didn’t ease her mind.

A few days later, I was heading out on the trail with another group of friends, telling them about the ring. As we passed the lost and found area my friend Mary yelled, “Denise! Someone found a ring!” There on the sign was a piece of scrap paper “FOUND: RING please call….”

It was his ring. It was returned to him. About a week later his mom sent me a gift card, along with a very gracious note sharing love happy endings—and this was indeed a very happy ending.

Smile #2: lost and found

Two down, three to go. I take a left at the fork and head up a hill, prairie dogs chirping away, warning each other to get back down in their hole. I’m not going to hurt you, and you’re kind of freaking me, out so can you please stop with the danger calls? I quickly move past them, looking forward to some quiet.

It doesn’t take me long to find my smiles, in fact, most days I could easily find more than five. That is when I’m present and not thinking of a long list of errands that sits on my kitchen counter, my son going into high school next year, and fast forward to college.

Third smile, this straight stretch, which can be boring, windy and often times feels twice as long as it is. Run to the pole, run to that rock, run to the building, just make it to the corner and then you can stop.  As much as I loathe it some days, I always love it because it reminds me of when I first started running, a nice long straight, FLAT, straight stretch.

Smile #3: the flat part

As I come across my next smile I think of my friend Claire. She recently posted a photo of the mountains on FB simply stating “I live here!” and that’s exactly what I thought when I saw this view, I LIVE HERE! May I never take these views for granted.

Smile #4: the view

Last but not least, heart-shaped rocks, they always make me smile. Whenever I find one,  I am always reminded that love is always there. I just have to be open to seeing it.

Smile #5: love

What makes you smile on your miles? If you have time to snag a photo, share it and tag it #AMRsmilemile. We want to see!