20151031: A Beautiful Day In a Different Neighborhood

It's Halloween, and I'm camping out with several families at a friend's house.  I brought my running clothes and shoes with me thinking maybe I could convince my brother-in-law to go out with me.  He didn't bring his.  I didn't get much sleep last night.  I could have made excuses, but when I told my husband I was thinking about going out for a run my friend Matt said there's a nice lake to run around here; it will be about 6 miles.  I thought to myself, that's great but I really don't usually run more than three miles at a time these days.  I have some physical limitations.  Then I asked how to get to the lake.  So I talked myself into a run, alone, in an unfamiliar neighborhood, going the distance...a distance double my intention.

As soon as I got to the park, I was so glad I ventured out.  I stopped to take pictures probably about every quarter mile.  The world really is a beautiful place when we stop and take time to enjoy and appreciate the beauty around us.  I'm an introvert, but I smiled and said good morning to everyone I passed by.  I planned to run around the entire lake, but looking at my map it looked like I was going further away from it.  I asked someone who was walking if I had missed a trail where I should have turned, and the guy asked me if I was trying to run around the entire lake.  When I replied yes, he directed me down through a neighborhood to where I could pick the path back up.  I stopped to take more pictures and I ran into him again at the park entrance right outside the neighborhood.  He said, "I see you found it; but the bridge is closed."  I said "Yeah, I heard."  Some other guys told me the same thing as I passed them by.  So, I turned around after taking more pictures and saw him heading the opposite direction of me.  When I made it out of the neighborhood and was heading back to the park trail where I came from I ran into him again so I called out to him, "It looks like you're my new friend for the day."  As I ran past him, he laughed and said "But this is it, we're just going to have to break up now. It's over."  I shrugged my shoulders and said "Okay, thanks again!  Have a great day!"  After taking more pics he caught up to me again and I said, "I thought you were leaving me."  He chuckled and said, "I just can't get enough!" 

That run just really made my day.  For me it's euphoria - a real runner's high.  Being outdoors, breathing fresh air, interacting with folks with a smile and a hello and a wish for a beautiful and pleasant day...it's just what this girl needed, the start of a beautiful day in the neighborhood!  Just get out there.  Explore and appreciate the beautiful world around you and the people experiencing it with you.  I'm sure it will make your day too!