Week 7--Thursday Evening

"To be, or not to be...in nature.  That is the question."  For me, it was a glorious hour communing with the fresh air, strong wind and slightly overcast, patchy clouded sky.  I decided that since it was once again above 60 degrees in Indiana in February, I would take advantage of it. 

Work today was particularly draining; not that it was bad, per se, just...draining.  After eight hours, I was happy I had brought along my workout gear, so I decided to leave.  I changed and drove over to the neighborhood across the pond from our office. 

It was a reviving walk/run; I started my jaunt with my fancy new iPod (thank you husband) but decided I really wanted to just listen to the sounds of nature--feel and hear the wind, the sound of the gravel under my shoes as I ran, and the chirping of birds.  I eventually returned to my motivational music near the end of my exercise journey (more tired than when I started), but all-in-all I believe I enjoy outside runs sans music.

Nature today reminded me of an excerpt and scene from Jane Eyre when Jane first traverses the grounds of Thornfield Hall after a dreary winter, "It was a fine, calm day...the ground was hard, the air was still...I walked fast till I got warm, and then I walked slowly to enjoy and analyze the species of pleasure brooding for me in the hour and situation."

Our Indiana sky this late afternoon looked something like this:  overcast yet fresh (without the mountains
in the distance).