Little lady

These two ladies have been coming to my noon class for the last few months.  One speaks broken English, the other knows only a few words.
But their smiles are impossible to misunderstand.
They tell me they want to get stronger.  They always arrive together, and leave with long proud strides and sweaty t-shirts.  They bring their friends who also tell me with wide grins,
'I am proud of myself.  I will be back.  Thank you.'
It is an honor to witness their work.
I often tell them,
'You work harder then I do.'
It is true.  For me the gym is comfortable and familiar.  They arrive at a place where both the people and the language are foreign.  Day after day they show up and push through.
 On this day, the one in the photograph, I watched a tiny 5'2" woman deadlift a 150 pound kettlebell 8 times while her best friend watched from the sidelines, her face beaming.

~ Sarah Kappos

the NOON class