We have had amazing weather lately. Not a negative kind of amazing; the wonderful, here's a reminder that spring will come kind of amazing. What's the big deal? Well, pretty much everyone in the Continental U.S. would have to agree that this winter has been downright almost too much to handle. Snow storm after snow storm (you poor Easterners!), and lately the down-to-the-bone type of cold.....I mean, COLD. So these past few days, with their upper-30 to mid-40 temps, (and today with its 50-ish temp) the kind of temps that is producing much melting, have been simply heavenly.
Given that, I took a walk last Friday. That day it was only in the mid-30s, but I thought, I'm going to do it. I'm going to take advantage of this and get out there. So I donned my snow pants, my Keen hiking shoes (waterproof and cold proof), had my wool socks on already (a staple for me ALL winter), my heavy gloves, a head band thing to protect my ears, and my Titanium Columbia jacket. And away I went.
Well, within minutes it was clear that this idea was simply brilliant. I was invigorated from just the first few steps. Why? Well, I looked up and the bright, blue sky was right there before me. Nothing was between me and it; only the clear, crisp air that I was inhaling with great glee. No kitchen window or car windshield was impeding my view of this sky. I was out there, looking at it and really seeing it in its full glory for the first time in months.
And the sounds were glorious too. Birds chirping, the gurgle sound because of the melting. Oh, it was music to my ears, and a small glimpse of what will come full blast in March and April.
The trail that I was on was not fully cleared of snow and slush, so I had to pay attention to every step. But that necessity to focus on my steps did not at all take away from the joy that I was experiencing, and that was building with each step.
I was convinced that I was going to encounter at least a couple of people who had the same conviction as I did to take advantage of this weather. I thought for sure I'd hear someone coming up from behind either running or on a bike. But I got about half-way through my walk and I actually started hoping I WOULDN'T encounter anybody. This walk and this experience I wanted to be all mine. I wanted to own this 2-mile path and the joy I was getting from it; I wanted to be selfish about this adventure.
I wanted to revel in the fact that this time I was being active. I wasn't lazy this time. I was out there, walking away, gradually feeling warmth and perhaps a fine layer of sweat. I had so often glimpsed runners, even in the depths of winter, running on this same path. I admired their courage to run during the coldest of cold days, fighting through the burn in the chest that they most surely were experiencing; I always saw these runners as better than I....they were out there.....they did it.....good for them.
Well, last Friday I did it. I got out there. I was being glimpsed, perhaps, by someone ELSE through THEIR kitchen window. Maybe someone else was saying, "Good for her"........about me.
I should clarify. I saw no HUMANS on my walk. Three deer were out there that day, a ways ahead of me, but I most surely got a good glimpse. I love deer. They are beautiful. We get about 5 or 6 that walk the same self-made path in our backyard every night. And because we have motion lights out back, we are made aware of their presence. It's fun. Must've been the same deer that crossed the trail while I was walking. Simply icing on the cake.
Yes, by the time I got home, I couldn't wait to shed my layers of clothing. I was a bit sweaty, but, man oh man, did it feel good. And I walked the next day, and also the next. 4 of 5 days I made it out there because the weather cooperated that long. I'm about to go again in a few minutes with my husband. He's the only human I'll gladly allow to impede this joy.
