The sun never showed itself yesterday but I swear that made for the the best walking weather. The trail right along the ocean was not at all crowded with other bikers and walkers and dogs. Lovely. I stood at one point and did a full 360 degrees: tree covered hills, a school, coastal trees, the lower end of the bay with the silhouette of the Ritz, surfers, lovers snuggling on the sand, the harbor, the famous Maverick's wave at the north end of the bay and back to the long expanse of open land along the ocean. After such a long road trip through twenty states, this is where I breathe well and relax and am aware of nature's rhythms to connect to the earth. I am home.
I spent the day cooking and watering the yards and banking and balancing our checkbook but it felt fantastic to walk freely outside the gym. Years ago, I was new to the disease and took a walk on the coastal trail. Too long of a walk. I got stuck. I struggled and fought to get home and it scared me. Dr. K. said not to walk alone. It took years to gain the confidence to head out to enjoy the solitude of the ocean again.
What surprised me about the walk yesterday was that it was just an hour, I walked very quickly so I was able to put in some miles and I was breathing well. Really well. My body felt centered. I vowed to do these solo walks in the afternoons after I get home from rehab or being with mom. Not every day, but maybe just a couple of times a week. It was such a different experience than in the rehab gym. It was the air. It was the feeling of freedom.
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