However, today there was an obstacle to overcome. I woke up early, skipped the snooze button, avoided the lure of the internet, made a cup of tea, and looked out the window - where I saw something quite disheartening. It was raining!!! "Gosh Darn It!" I proclaimed.
My first thought was "Well - there goes that." And I quickly resolved to sit down and check out my favorite social network. But before I eased myself into my extremely comphy chair - a voice I haven't heard since my childhood entered my head. I heard the words of my grandfather - "You're not made of sugar!" It was true, I could actually go outside and get wet without melting.
With that it was decided. I could walk the dog - in the rain - and I could survive it.
Well, I discovered something on this walk - and here it is. When you walk your dog in the rain, you both get wet!
But wait, theres more. It's not such a bad kind of wet. It's actually an exhilarating, joyful kind of wet.
Another memory came back to me - I used to love walking in the rain, splashing in puddles, watching water travel along the sides of the road like miniature raging rapids. Rain used to be an excuse to walk around the block barefoot (without shoes!). Somewhere along the line it became an excuse to stay in and hide from nature.
This afternoon, when it was time for me to leave work, it started POURING! The rain was so thick and so fast that it was impossible to see even inches in front of my face. My four year old son walked out into it, heading for the car, and he started laughing with pleasure. This reinforced in me that loving the rain is what is natural - avoiding the rain is what is taught. Avoiding the rain is really about avoiding the hassle of dripping on the carpet, of wet clothes and wet shoes, of mud and mess. But, really, isn't the joy and the pleasure of rain and puddles and mud worth the work that comes afterward? I believe it is - and from now on, I will opt to allow the joy, and I wont mind the mess.
Awesome! I was trying to walk my dogs every day, but it is always so hectic here, and when I try to leave the baby is like, "Can I go with you?" and if I have to walk along slowly dragging the baby, it kind of defeats the purpose of exercise!
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