After a good night’s sleep I felt a lot better this morning. Plus, I love waking up to this sort of weather. It was drizzly, gray, chilly, and my blankets were perfect. You know that feeling when you wake up and everything is in just the right spot? The sheets are soft and warm, the comforter is just heavy enough to feel secure around you. That’s what it was like this morning.
I meant to lay there for a while and just read, my window open, listening to the soft rain outside. But then what does my conscience go and do? It nags at me, telling me that’s something called “being lazy.” 🙂 I decided that since I had been sick for so long I had been putting off something I’d been meaning to do – go for a nice long walk. It’s been a goal of mine for several years, to get my foot to the right condition for a daily walk. I started that today.
I put on my nice cream sweater, my favorite pair of blue jeans, and my nice nike walking shoes. I put my portable CD player in my mini backpack, told my brother where I’d be going, and out I went. Only one walk and I’ve been converted to a purist.
I left not knowing where I would go, what I would see, how my body would cope, or when I would come back. That was the best way to start because it helped me see my neighborhood in a way I had never witnessed it before. In the two years I’ve lived here I always zoomed along its streets in a hurry to get somewhere else. The green blur that was the grass slowed down, and I was able to see just how many pretty things there were thriving amongst the sidewalks.
I ended up walking much farther than I expected, near a friend’s house, around another entire block, and back again. I was out for a little over an hour and much to my surprise, I wasn’t tired at all. My left foot was mildly sore near the little toes, but I was expecting much worse than that. My no-toe hasn’t handled walking very well recently; I was expecting to be in great pain. But I’ve wanted to desperately to acclimate it to a more healthy lifestyle. I’ve been envious as I’ve heard about friends going off on hiking trips (yes, that means you and your West Highland Way, Mr. Robert.) But that’s a good thing. An incredibly good thing. It made me realize just how much I was missing out on, just how much I wanted to be able to hike, run, walk; to be able to move myself as well as other people my age can. I know it wasn’t my fault I was sick, there was nothing I could do about it. I acknowledge that. But I can do something about it now.
I saw many beautiful things on my little excursion that I didn’t expect to see. Before I left I considered taking a camera but then decided against it, telling myself, “Just what is there to see in suburbia anyway?” I saw bright flowers, a really awesome slug, a squirrel perched in a tree, trees changing their colors, a school bus, a group of little tiny wooden soldiers decked out in patriotic flare; all manner of things that would have made great photographs. Next time, I’m taking a camera so I can make little walking journals of life in the suburbs. But I don’t think that walking journal would be complete without the soundtrack I provided for myself. The music was faint enough so I could listen to my surroundings, but it was there, playing the likes of Debussy, Elgar, Dvorak, and Grieg. Soft, fanciful music that – surprisingly – went along perfectly with the strides of two young boys as they marched home from school.
I came home about an hour later, took off my shoes, sat down, and felt a lot better than I think I would have if I had just stayed in bed reading ‘Lord of the Rings’ (I’m still stuck in the first book for goodness sake!) I would have enjoyed my nice new flannel sheets, but I enjoyed knowing I was starting something that would eventually help me become much healthier than I am now. Then, maybe eventually, I’ll be able to hike part of the West Highland Way, or prepare myself for a busy life in London, hiking back and forth to the Tube. I enjoyed it, and I wish I could look forward to tomorrow afternoon’s walk. Unfortunately, though, my Mom has outlawed my walk for tomorrow because of that maniac sniper. He’s never struck in a residential area, and I think it’s rather sad to stay inside just because of one person, but sigh. Not much I can say about that.
And now it’s time for bed and I can crawl back into those yummy flannel sheets. Hurray! Thankfully it’s still drizzling outside, so it seems I only delayed the fun of being lazy while listening to the rain fall against the leaves outside my window.
But, before I go to sleep, I have a very happy announcement to make. My dear friend Patrick has become the first person to donate to the Meg-a-thon! Three cheers!! Thank you very very very much, Patrick, this means a great deal to me. 🙂 You rule, man!
Good night!