Treading Softly

Well, maybe softly and slowly. In days past, I would finish up my artwork for the night and then tread for about forty minutes. But because I was nursing a bum foot, I haven't walked on my treadmill in many months. My foot is better, now, so in early December I began walking the dog in our gorgeous weather. I loved getting outdoors to walk with the advantage of wearing out the hyper dog. Then I was sidetracked - long story. My chain of walking days was broken. Then the holidays passed and my schedule picked up - making my midnight walks more convenient than outside walking. So back to the treadmill it is.

Usually, as I walk, I watch a DVD on my portable player that fits right up on the front of the treadmill. Now I can't find the player. How can that be? I suspect Roo and I moved it so she could watch a favorite DVD. If you were a DVD player, where would you hide? Maybe the housekeepers tucked it away in a tidy spot, but I can't imagine that I didn't find it in my recent rant of organizing, purging, and cleaning.

So I have just relied on my new i Pod to make my walking time go faster. Sadly, even though my cello album is beautiful, music didn't help as much as the distraction of following a movie. I like to walk 40 or 45 minutes. Tonight I made it for 32 and that seemed interminable. As I walked, though, I noticed that I can take long, slow strides rather that short, fast ones and find a zone of relaxation. I actually discovered the approach a while back, but needed some reminding. It's like life. If I slow down and relax, even though life's treadmill is moving along at a consistent rate, I can feel calm and enjoy what I am doing.

But where the heck is my DVD player?!