"It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way
If we keep on the sunny side of life."
I ventured out the door with my husband and my dog to take a stroll around the block. Since I regularly walk the neighborhood for exercise, my husband usually defers the route choices to me. We'd just reached our first turn when I had a "buns of steel epiphany." I suggested that we go straight and walk down the big hill that dead-ends in Scenic Highway. There's a sidewalk with a nice canopy of oaks that provide safe and shady passage. The one-mile round-trip is a good bang-for-your-butt workout, you might say.
"Let's go over there, it's warmer." Man and pup stepped off the curb to cross the street. That's not the way I had imagined doing it, but I was feeling gracious since the weather was so pleasant. I caught up and trotted past them to the sunny side of the street. Then I stopped in my tracks.
Pensacola Bay in all her majesty lay spread out before us - framed by mossy oaks and with the golden sun reflecting in the ripples of the water. It was a scene as lovely as those we'd enjoyed along the Pacific Coast Highway and US-1. Except that this was right there, a tenth of a mile from my house...and just across the street from my usual route.
"We've lived here for 20 years...why don't I come stand at this spot every day and take in this amazing view?"
Why, indeed? I was so inspired by the ah-hah moment that a few small steps outside of my routine had provided that I suggested we keep going when we reached the bottom of the hill. We crossed the highway and walked down to the bay. The pooch enjoyed a game of fetch in the clear water as we strolled along and admired the gnarled and twisted stumps at the water's edge. We picked up a grocery bag-full of cans, bottles, and miscellaneous trash. We scavenged a good worm-eaten piece of driftwood...I mean, "Veranda Art..." and we headed home with another amazing experience in our collection. By the time we made it back up the hill, our hearts were full and our buns were toasted.
The lesson: When your routine gets safe and shady, take your buns over to the sunny side.
Need a writing coach? Send me a message using the CONTACT link above for more information.
If we keep on the sunny side of life."
I ventured out the door with my husband and my dog to take a stroll around the block. Since I regularly walk the neighborhood for exercise, my husband usually defers the route choices to me. We'd just reached our first turn when I had a "buns of steel epiphany." I suggested that we go straight and walk down the big hill that dead-ends in Scenic Highway. There's a sidewalk with a nice canopy of oaks that provide safe and shady passage. The one-mile round-trip is a good bang-for-your-butt workout, you might say.
"Let's go over there, it's warmer." Man and pup stepped off the curb to cross the street. That's not the way I had imagined doing it, but I was feeling gracious since the weather was so pleasant. I caught up and trotted past them to the sunny side of the street. Then I stopped in my tracks.
Pensacola Bay in all her majesty lay spread out before us - framed by mossy oaks and with the golden sun reflecting in the ripples of the water. It was a scene as lovely as those we'd enjoyed along the Pacific Coast Highway and US-1. Except that this was right there, a tenth of a mile from my house...and just across the street from my usual route.
"We've lived here for 20 years...why don't I come stand at this spot every day and take in this amazing view?"
Why, indeed? I was so inspired by the ah-hah moment that a few small steps outside of my routine had provided that I suggested we keep going when we reached the bottom of the hill. We crossed the highway and walked down to the bay. The pooch enjoyed a game of fetch in the clear water as we strolled along and admired the gnarled and twisted stumps at the water's edge. We picked up a grocery bag-full of cans, bottles, and miscellaneous trash. We scavenged a good worm-eaten piece of driftwood...I mean, "Veranda Art..." and we headed home with another amazing experience in our collection. By the time we made it back up the hill, our hearts were full and our buns were toasted.
The lesson: When your routine gets safe and shady, take your buns over to the sunny side.
Need a writing coach? Send me a message using the CONTACT link above for more information.