I admit it. I may have a slight, and by slight I mean intimate, relationship with procrastination. I may have littered the trail of my past with countless unfinished projects and a multitude of good intentions unrealized, but hey, one day in and I am still here, blogging away like a committed writer (yup, always meant to get to that ).
So what is on today's agenda? Let's start with walk # 2. I tagged along with Wes and Darin on their Fredericton adventure, so yesterday's walk found me strolling through my past. Who knows, maybe one of these days I will land in today! I slipped into sweet memories and stories of Mom and Dad's childhoods as I left the Delta and headed along the Southside River trail. Needless to say, it was beautiful! The sun was shining, the water was choppy with wind, there were children in the parks, and just the right amount of friendly walkers on the trail.
I have decided that part of the journey needs to include keeping my eye and heart open to small miracles along the path, and to search out gratitude moments.
Yesterday I found both in one in the form of Bob. Again, most likely not his name, but I'm the writer!
I happened to look up, way up, as I walked under the Westmorland St bridge. Bob was stopping to catch his breath about two thirds of his way up the very long, very steep ramp on this very hot day. I stopped and yelled up at him, "Wow, that is quite a climb!", and he laughed, and answered, "Sure is, but the other side is worse." I wanted to offer him my water bottle, but I knew my 'girlie' throw would never reach him, so I waved and continued on my way. I checked over my shoulder to see he had done the same. He was tackling the last stretch of incline, the wheels of his chair slowly turning as his arm and shoulder muscles strained.
Pretty impressive, Bob!
. . . I wonder what today's walk will bring?
Wednesday, 20 July 2016
Tuesday, 19 July 2016
Let me call you sweetheart! Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Let me tell you about John and Ella. I have no idea if those are their names, but for the purposes of my first "gettin' old" blog post, John and Ella they are . . .
Yesterday, I took a walk - my first of 132 (more on that later). I followed the Bedford Basin boardwalk and Shore Dr into the village proper, did a bit of window shopping, sipped on a 'green machine' smoothie at Pete's, and retraced my steps to Mill Cove. It was a "walk perfect" kind of day. The sky was overcast, but the air was silky and the breeze coming off the water reminded me that I love the smell and the feel of salt. As I reached DeWolfe Park I glanced ahead on the path and looked right into my future. They were so in sync. She was walking with a cane in her right hand, and her left was comfortably on his back, tucked securely into his hand. They looked like a pair of dancers, poised to spin away and back again. I wanted to take their picture, but couldn't bring myself to intrude on their intimacy with my phone. Instead, I took the photo with my heart, I think a much better camera.
Just a moment in time, just a glance at strangers on a path, but so much more. A heart-filling reminder that love, health, marriage, and life need daily nurturing to ripen to juicy old age!
And so my journey begins . . . or really continues, I suppose. Time to make solid my vague intentions and efforts toward a truly well-lived life. Time to think about John and Ella, and how I want that to be us someday (minus the spinning - been there, earned the bruises). Time to take little steps, big steps, hell, any steps - and to express gratitude that I am able to take each and every one of them.
I have often heard the phrase, "Getting older is not for sissies", and the implied pessimism always bothered me a bit. So, I think I will erase it and replace it with this one - "Getting older is an adventure. Let's revel in it!"
Yesterday, I took a walk - my first of 132 (more on that later). I followed the Bedford Basin boardwalk and Shore Dr into the village proper, did a bit of window shopping, sipped on a 'green machine' smoothie at Pete's, and retraced my steps to Mill Cove. It was a "walk perfect" kind of day. The sky was overcast, but the air was silky and the breeze coming off the water reminded me that I love the smell and the feel of salt. As I reached DeWolfe Park I glanced ahead on the path and looked right into my future. They were so in sync. She was walking with a cane in her right hand, and her left was comfortably on his back, tucked securely into his hand. They looked like a pair of dancers, poised to spin away and back again. I wanted to take their picture, but couldn't bring myself to intrude on their intimacy with my phone. Instead, I took the photo with my heart, I think a much better camera.
Just a moment in time, just a glance at strangers on a path, but so much more. A heart-filling reminder that love, health, marriage, and life need daily nurturing to ripen to juicy old age!
And so my journey begins . . . or really continues, I suppose. Time to make solid my vague intentions and efforts toward a truly well-lived life. Time to think about John and Ella, and how I want that to be us someday (minus the spinning - been there, earned the bruises). Time to take little steps, big steps, hell, any steps - and to express gratitude that I am able to take each and every one of them.
I have often heard the phrase, "Getting older is not for sissies", and the implied pessimism always bothered me a bit. So, I think I will erase it and replace it with this one - "Getting older is an adventure. Let's revel in it!"
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)