When I looked out the window at work a little bit before I came home, I saw snow falling sideways--the wind was strong enough to blow it parallel to the ground. And I realized that today wasn't a day for a run, for even though I do like running in snow, the wind makes a huge difference in the quality of a run. And I figure now that since I wrote yesterday about running on a cold day, it might be a good idea today to write about not running on a cold day that goes past cold into bitter. I've learned that much of what it means to live life fully has to do with discernment, with choosing the right times to do things, but also choosing the right times not to do things. I would have loved to have run today, but some days are for rest, not for workouts. I know too many people who don't understand that idea, or who choose to ignore it, and they run themselves into the ground because they don't give themselves rests, especially on days when it may not be just unpleasant to go out and do something, but may also be somewhat dangerous. After all, our body temperatures do go down when it's cold outside, but they go down even more when it's cold and windy. And while I love to run in the cold, I don't have any superpower that I know of that allows me to deal with a seriously low body temperature--sometimes our decisions need to be driven more by logic that tells us that something isn't safe than by emotion telling us we want to do something. Hypothermia isn't pleasant and is potentially dangerous, so my goal for today is to be safe, and I think that the best thing that I can do is to avoid running. Some days are just that way, and it's not a sign of weakness to decide not to do something like running on a day that's obviously bad for it--it's rather a sign of respect for ourselves and our bodies to recognize that conditions are far from ideal to do something, so the best thing that we can do is to decide not to do that something, just for now.
13 December 2023
07 March 2023
Cold Winter Days--A Paragraph a Day
Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments,
embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour.
John Boswell
I like to be active, and I like to be doing something. I don't feel terribly stressed if I'm not, but it's just what I like to do, and how I like to be. So when I finish work in the afternoon and I come home and the cold winter weather forces me to stay inside, not doing what I might have liked to do, it can be kind of frustrating. Over the course of time, though, I've learned to accept these days for exactly what they are--they're kind of a gift, an opportunity for me to relax and to enjoy an afternoon that I probably wouldn't have enjoyed otherwise because it's simply too cold and windy and raw and bitter out. It used to be that I might even have felt a bit of guilt for not going outside to get something done, but I'm past that now. I can now simply enjoy the down time, the quiet time, the rest and relaxation. I don't always need to be doing something and accomplishing something, and sometimes a nice quiet afternoon on the couch can be the best thing for me, especially when it's cold and windy outside and the house is nice and cozy and comfy. I'm very fortunate to have a home that I love, where I feel comfortable and where I can enjoy such a day in warmth and comfort and coziness. It really is an amazing blessing.
