Every Thorn Has Its Rose
Many people have asked me what my favorite street has been so far. I always have the same answer – Grace. If you haven’t taken the time to do a leisurely stroll down this street, I recommend you get at it while the weather is still good.
As I was walking down South Marginal Drive on this early Sunday morning, I thought I had my answer to my least favorite street in Lakewood. This street runs along the southern edge of I-90, starting where Hilliard branches off and crosses the highway near Riverside. Cement walls or fences separate it from the adjacent neighborhoods. Most of the street also has no sidewalk. While I was walking such a stretch a car zoomed past me honking its horn and yelling at me. I was already feeling a bit depressed having dropped my son off in Chicago yesterday for his junior year of college, and it felt like South Marginal Drive was piling on.
Then a small bright spot emerged. It appeared as if most of the green space along the street was maintained by the city, but someone had planted a patch of flowers next to a border fence to provide a “Bee Habitat”. It was the only splash of color I had seen so far (other than the over-abundance of street signs). However, the best part of my walk was yet to come.
As I was nearing the end of the street at the corner of Woodward and South Marginal Drive, I crossed paths with a jogger. I didn’t think I would see any other people along this road. She stopped her run, looked up at me and exclaimed, “Hey – you are that A to Z guy”! She then immediately threw up her hand to give me an exuberant HIGH-5. It was like a motivational switch flipped in my mind. This encouragement from a stranger caused my mood to completely change.
I even extended my bike ride on my way home making a large loop throughout Lakewood. To my surprise, the Strava App indicated that I had set a new PR in a 5 mile bike ride (20 minutes), meaning I had motored my old tandem bike around Lakewood at 15 MPH. Not bad for a now 51 year old man.
