Wednesday, September 1, 2021

Once Upon a Time in Real Life

Once upon a time, I believed in fairy tales, and in an end to the pandemic. I still believe in fairy tales.

Yesterday's daily evening half-hour walk extended to over an hour as I rediscovered the wonders of nature along two separate paths. With the sun lowered behind high rises, the temperature had cooled a bit, making for a more leisurely outing. Birds along the parkway playfully zoomed overhead - no internet required for their informal gathering. In the canal, several ducks paddled in the wake of a slow moving motor boat while others congregated along the bank. All was quiet in a town often filled with sounds of police and ambulance sirens, revving motor bikes, and never-ending traffic.


Long ago, I blocked out most daily street noises and prefer the bustle of active life. But lockdowns and extended stay-at-home orders have now become a way of life that requires imagination and patience to navigate. Keeping busy is not an issue, but rather taking time to relax and enjoy small pleasures is what needs reminding - every day.

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12 comments:

  1. Oh, I wish I had more time to relax. Even though we're in lockdown I still have to work, plus there's home schooling so I seem to have less time then normal.

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  2. I sure wish you had more free time also, AJ. Now more than ever it is important to schedule time for yourself. Take care.

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  3. I prefer the quiet life, and turn to nature for solace. That said, the dawn chorus of birds here is NOT peaceful. Lovely - but often very raucous. I wonder whether I notice it more now that traffic noise is largely eliminated.

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  4. E.C., silence is a friend to me, also. The birds were so loud I started spraying water in the direction of the offenders. They learned quickly and now perform their antics quietly on my lanai.

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  5. The 'small pleasures' you talk about in your post are the 'ordinary moments' that gather together to make up a life time.

    Thank you for sharing your sensory walk in this post. I love my walks. But, Doha's extremely high humidity this past week has forced me to stick to mall-walking-- which isn't bad, but it's not a fairy tale either:)

    Wishing you a beautiful week ahead.

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  6. Thank you, Arti, and thanks for visiting. If only we can remind ourselves often that the ordinary moments are what make a fulfilling life.

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  7. I love walking. It stirs so many thoughts and at the same time is so relaxing. I can relate a lot ot htis post.

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  8. So true, Elizabeth, about stirring up thoughts. Walking also seems to solve problems like plot issues and stress levels. Thanks for visiting.

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  9. I love walking, whether in the city or countryside. There is always so much to see that forces one to pay attention and rest one's thoughts. I get many solutions to writing problems that way, too.

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