Friends,
Do you wear headphones when you exercise? I used to. Looking
back, I think I saw running as an unpleasant healthy activity. I wanted the
results. The process, I could do without. A ‘must-do’, not a ‘wanna-do’. If my
mind could be somewhere else whilst my body was being tortured, all the better.
Then something happened. A design flaw in my ears caused the earbuds to
continuously slip-out. It was so annoying I finally decided to try to go
without the music. Jogging without putting my mind in neutral to the tune of a
familiar song took a little getting used to. Still, it wasn’t long before I
noticed I was more present during my runs. There were the sounds. Birds
chirping and squeaking. The tires of passing cars fading in and out like waves
in the ocean. The gravel rhythmically crunching beneath my feet. Crunch,
crunch, crunch –with the occasional thud, thud, thud of a wooden bridge or thump,
thump, thump of concrete sidewalks. I must admit gravel is my favorite and not
because it’s easier on my knees. It’s definitely the crunch. Then there’s the
views. The thick pre-dawn ether, slowly unveiling hidden sights as darkness
gives way to the bright colors of sunrise. The stark contrast of long shadows
cast by the early morning light. In those moments, there is only the now. These
days I look forward to running with anticipation, not resignation --much like
Friday donuts! This morning I’ve mixed it up a bit with a dozen Habit donuts.
Try a coffee cake donut or an upside down pineapple donut. Take a bite and let
yourself enjoy the moment.
Happy Friday!
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