Soft, warm light... long, leisurely days... blooms of sweet fragrance...aaahhh...
Over the weekend I woke up early, dressed C and myself and headed out for a bagel, all the while anticipating rain. On the drive to the bagel shop it did begin to drizzle and I sighed at the thought of another gray day-sometimes they just seem to collide together and desperation for sunlight sets in. To my pleasant surprise the clouds drifted apart and lazily, as if waking from hibernation, spring sunlight came and warmed the air. C and I took off our jackets and went to the park. I followed him around like the dotted lines from the Family Circus cartoon-over, around, under, swing, jump and bang-eyes darting from one wood structure to the next, ceaseless in his quest. It may have looked like mad confusion but it was pure wanderlust leading him happily in his own direction.
This is the young, unblocked imagination open to move, shift, wonder, and gaze, laugh- all with determination and growth. I have often been told to listen and learn from my elders, the wise ones. I do always learn from the more experienced but I have realized how very many lessons in creativity, imagination and love to learn from him. These lessons help to ignite my creative ideas while holding fast to my wanderlust that magnetically chases his. (Often causing me to get almost stuck from following him, not paying attention until halfway through that I am not his size, and that I must look the pitiful fool) *laugh*
On our drive home, with windows cracked and John Mayer's Gravity mixing in the air, I was still feeling energized from the change in weather and the fun at the park. Feeling the urge to get a good exercise, (yes, running after a toddler is tiring, but not the same as pushing your own body to work hard; sweat, burn and breath.) I stopped in a neighborhood full of large hills, strapped C in the stroller and walked. I pushed him and I up and over the hills- many times almost horizontal with arms out-stretched and hands latched to the stroller, willing my legs to follow. (Hills are a far cry from the treadmill because at least then I can walk/run flat if I want to). I remembered then how much I love to exercise, and that I need to make it a priority for my health and because it allows the floodgates to open allowing me to think without concentration on any one particular thought. My only concentration was on pushing, walking faster and breathing. At the end of my walk I felt questions answered and conflict settled. Similar to how I feel after meditation and prayer.
***On Sunday I felt so enthused about my long walk from the previous day I woke up ready to do it all over again. This time I asked my husband, J, to go along with us and he agreed. Instead of the hills we opted for a wooded trail around a lake. We started out the same, moving at a nice speed over the pine straw and earth. I stopped halfway through to show C a bird on the lake and in that moment he decided he had enough of my pushing him around and raised his arms up as if it was high time he walk and explore on his own. I bit my lip, thinking to myself I wouldn't get in the exercise I was now craving. (Two days in a row-I was on a roll, right!).
I pulled C from the stroller and he immediately took off, dotted lines in tow, and started touching everything; bark, pine straw, sticks and rocks. He and his Dad threw some rocks in the lake delighting at the splash of rising water as the rocks sunk below. J and I found C a good walking stick, and as a hiking pro would, he held tight to it prodding the ground as he walked. Often, he would stop, head cocked to one side, concern and question furrowing his brow, as the sounds of the woods filled his ears. Watching him touch and listen to the beauty and movement of nature, I got to thinking about enjoying the scenery and the little things that captivate and intrigue our intellect and imaginations. I see how important it is to allow C to experience things fully, in his own way, so he can learn with confidence and question. I am becoming more aware that by pushing myself, like exercise, I gain motivation and integrity, and by taking time, as in a leisurely walk, I gain more perspective. The balance is hard to manage at times, but important to work on.
This is the young, unblocked imagination open to move, shift, wonder, and gaze, laugh- all with determination and growth. I have often been told to listen and learn from my elders, the wise ones. I do always learn from the more experienced but I have realized how very many lessons in creativity, imagination and love to learn from him. These lessons help to ignite my creative ideas while holding fast to my wanderlust that magnetically chases his. (Often causing me to get almost stuck from following him, not paying attention until halfway through that I am not his size, and that I must look the pitiful fool) *laugh*
On our drive home, with windows cracked and John Mayer's Gravity mixing in the air, I was still feeling energized from the change in weather and the fun at the park. Feeling the urge to get a good exercise, (yes, running after a toddler is tiring, but not the same as pushing your own body to work hard; sweat, burn and breath.) I stopped in a neighborhood full of large hills, strapped C in the stroller and walked. I pushed him and I up and over the hills- many times almost horizontal with arms out-stretched and hands latched to the stroller, willing my legs to follow. (Hills are a far cry from the treadmill because at least then I can walk/run flat if I want to). I remembered then how much I love to exercise, and that I need to make it a priority for my health and because it allows the floodgates to open allowing me to think without concentration on any one particular thought. My only concentration was on pushing, walking faster and breathing. At the end of my walk I felt questions answered and conflict settled. Similar to how I feel after meditation and prayer.
***On Sunday I felt so enthused about my long walk from the previous day I woke up ready to do it all over again. This time I asked my husband, J, to go along with us and he agreed. Instead of the hills we opted for a wooded trail around a lake. We started out the same, moving at a nice speed over the pine straw and earth. I stopped halfway through to show C a bird on the lake and in that moment he decided he had enough of my pushing him around and raised his arms up as if it was high time he walk and explore on his own. I bit my lip, thinking to myself I wouldn't get in the exercise I was now craving. (Two days in a row-I was on a roll, right!).
I pulled C from the stroller and he immediately took off, dotted lines in tow, and started touching everything; bark, pine straw, sticks and rocks. He and his Dad threw some rocks in the lake delighting at the splash of rising water as the rocks sunk below. J and I found C a good walking stick, and as a hiking pro would, he held tight to it prodding the ground as he walked. Often, he would stop, head cocked to one side, concern and question furrowing his brow, as the sounds of the woods filled his ears. Watching him touch and listen to the beauty and movement of nature, I got to thinking about enjoying the scenery and the little things that captivate and intrigue our intellect and imaginations. I see how important it is to allow C to experience things fully, in his own way, so he can learn with confidence and question. I am becoming more aware that by pushing myself, like exercise, I gain motivation and integrity, and by taking time, as in a leisurely walk, I gain more perspective. The balance is hard to manage at times, but important to work on.
***After the walk I was thirsty for both drink and a little more sunlight. I took my raspberry tea bags, steeped them, and poured the tea over ice and sat on my back patio, sore from Saturday and reflective from Sunday. Two days started the same and ended very different, both equally satisfying.
1 comment:
i love how beautifully you describe the weekend. all week you have sounded happier. refreshed.
xoxo.
a
Post a Comment