April 16th - Walking

Start Quote

As long as I approached walking as exercise,

I never made it past the front door.

But one day I was so anxious I felt as if I would jump out of my skin,

and so I bolted out of the house at lunchtime 

as if I were leaving the scene of a crime.

Filled with disappointments, painful memories, and my own unrealistic expectations from the past -terrified of what the future held and the changes that were inevitable -the only safe place for me was the present moment:

my foot against the pavement, the wind on my face, 
my breath entering and leaving my body.

Forty minutes later I stopped, discovered to my amazement that I was on the other side of town, and headed back home, calm and centered.

I have been walking ever since.

...

There are different reasons for walking

-to increase the heart rate and build strength, 

to solve a creative problem,

to finish that argument with yourself or someone else, 

to saunter and wake up to the world around you, 

and to meditate...

I have learned to train myself to return my awareness slowly 

to the physical act of walking,

for here in the present moment, one step at a time,

I have found peace.

End Quote

I love walking. 

I don't really have anything else to add.

Do you like to walk?

You should try it.

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Gratitude Journal

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1) Ham. Ham is freakin delicious.

2) Grandma's rolls. There is literally nothing better on this earth.

3) The kids looked so cute in their Easter outfits Nana made them. And they are too big, so they can wear them again next year! And maybe even the year after that :)

4) Going to see Shelby and Grandpa.

5) Easter is over!!!!! I love this holiday, but this year was painful. Finally, no more egg hunts, finally, no more dyed eggs, and no more baskets of candy!

6) Easter. That Christ lived, suffered, and died for me. That because he lives again death has no sting, and the grave no victory. That I do not have to live in despair because my sister's body is rotting away in a box six feet under, because I have faith that her spirit lives on and is in heaven. And because Christ was resurrected, she will be resurrected and whole again too. The brightness of my faith shuns out all darkness of despair and doubt. 

7) Wearing Shelby's jewelry and clothing makes me feel closer to her, and look stunning.

8) The clouds and the rain. When it rains off in the distance, the sky looks like one of Monet's paintings, like he just took a paint brush and brushed down the clouds to make it look like it's raining off in the distance. I love the sound of rain, the smell of rain, especially in the mountains.