My freshman year of college, I was competing for the school's cross country team. 

Early in the season, I got a very bad cold. While just a cold, it was bad enough that my coach told me I wasn't allowed to practice or compete that weekend. I remember crying for hours because this was supposed to be one of the best race courses of the season, and I had to miss it.

The same day my coach told me I couldn't compete, my teammate and good friend, Paul, showed up with a gift bag – it had teas, chocolates, and other goodies to keep me content, occupied, and on the path to recovery while the team was away for the weekend. 

After that point, if another teammate got sick, Paul would show up at my door ready to go shopping to make another get-well package, and it's a tradition that has stuck with me to this day, well after my time on the team was done.

* Originally published on September 17, 2021, by Jaime Evers