Weekend Recreation

Saturday morning, I headed out my front door on foot, down the hill, across the bridge and onward to the local farmer's market. In Morgantown, you have to get out early to take advantage of the market which only lasts from 8:30 - 12:00 on Saturday morning. I arrived at 9:30 and missed the opportunity to buy fresh filleted trout which I am told sold out in the first 20 minutes of the market! Next week, no second cup of coffee before heading out! Never mind, I bought plenty of other fresh locally produced foods, including salad greens, salsa, goat cheeses, goat meat(yes, you read that right!), pastured beef from highland cows (if you have never seen this breed you can find pictures on google), and chicken from free ranging chickens. I had hoped to get some turkey, but the farmer explained that it will be August before the turkeys are ready. It's also too early in the season for berries and there are only hydroponic tomatoes. I talked with each vendor about how the animals are raised and the produce grown and how their businesses are faring this year. I thanked them for their efforts to provide quality food. I mingled some with the other shoppers who were at their leisure as they perused the stalls and had some informal conversations and cooking lessons from people I had not had the pleasure to meet before this particular Saturday morning. I spent the entire contents of my wallet except for 56 cents. It was a lovely experience. Enough so that I didn't really mind the trudge back up the hill to my house with the bulging bags thrown over my shoulder.

After storing the purchases from the market I got in my car to take some toxic household waste (in my case an empty can from a sealant for our deck) to the once yearly collection of these "hard to know what to do with" materials. The site was busy with a steady stream of cars. As I drove along in the line I had the opportunity to talk with 5 different workers who were part of the process of collecting information, a small fee, and eventually the waste products. Everyone was unfailingly polite and good natured as they attended to their tasks. A sheriff's patrol car was posted at the entrance to the site to be sure that everyone was paying attention to the unusual amount of traffic on the somewhat quiet road. The deputy smiled at the drivers as he leaned up against his car in the spring sunshine.

As I drove away from the site towards home I passed by a car wash sponsored by a local Young Life group. These young people were spending their Saturday washing cars on a busy thoroughfare for free. Some of the kids were lining the street with posters, waving cars into the parking lot where they were set up. A lot of cars were taking advantage of the offer and the kids looked like they were having a good time engaged in their service work. There were lots of smiles and laughter and splashes. I smiled at the sight of teenagers having fun doing a task that I can only imagine would be classified as a chore at home. It reminded me of what I know to be the helpful spirit of Americans that is so often downplayed in our news coverage of National deficits and crises.

I was having a very good day. I had engaged in activities that took care of my health and well being,and the health and well being of my community. It was pleasant and restorative after a busy week of work to engage in these somewhat mundane acts in my community. It reminded me that health and well being are not all about exercise and discipline. They are about finding ways to be of service to others through your work and leisure activities and about doing it with an attitude that what you do and how you do it matters. It reminded me of a lesson in my first year of college when I was getting a degree in Physical Education and Recreation. The lecture was on the purpose of recreation, that it is literally supposed to recreate our spirit and strength to ready us for another week of work. I had that kind of day on Saturday and felt better for it.

Walk On!

It was sunny, if a bit chilly today, and my husband and I headed out for a long walk by the river. There is a well maintained rail trail that passes through our area and we headed for a section that is several miles outside of town. We spent a peaceful hour and a half walking, talking, and pointing out the wonders of nature to each other. It was good for the body, mind, heart and soul. Such a delightful and simple thing. This was the perfect walk for today!

Now on other days, I have other kinds of walks. Sometimes I want to challenge my heart and lungs and I walk where there are hills or staircases to climb. I tie a bandanna around my forehead to catch the sweat as I push myself forward, straining my legs as well as my heart and lungs. Those days I sometimes have to give myself a pep talk to get out the door for the walk, but ten minutes in I am committed and know I will see it through.

On yet other days, I grab my Nordic walking poles, my ipod loaded with a continuing education lecture, and I head for the rail trail for a steady, moderate intensity walk. Study and exercise all in one, multitasking at it's best!

And then there are the days when I am worried about family or business matters and I walk while I ruminate and problem solve, looking for a path of wisdom to emerge if I keep plodding forward. On those days the walk is a moving metaphor.

There was a walk last week, where I came to a spot on the trail that I remembered as the spot where I had to turn around when I first started walking in Morgantown in 2004. I was new in town and 70 pounds heavier than I am now. I was trying to get my health and fitness back and I had to start slowly. When I walked past that spot on the trail last week, I reviewed all the many times I have walked ( and yes, sometimes even run) that trail since that day and felt proud of the accomplishments that have come as I have continued to walk towards my future.

I don't ever recall going out for a walk and coming back wishing I hadn't gone. Such a simple and healthful pleasure. Have you been for a walk today?