Monday Morning Musings

Posted on May 28, 2018 under Monday Morning Musings with 2 comments

A walk on the wild side.

(Photo by Pete MacDonald)

Walking. It’s good for the heart and the soul.

I’ve done a lot of walking lately. Walking and thinking of many things including my good fortune. This time of year is very special as everything in nature comes alive. You can actually smell the earth below your feet as you walk along wooded trails. Ditto for flowers and trees. After lying dormant for the winter, the leaves on the trees are busting out all over and grass is ready for the cutting. There must be at least 50 shades of green. The birds are obviously pleased as they begin their lovely melodies in the wee hours of the morning. To hear them, you must be an early riser. That’s when they get the worm!

Is there anything more heavenly and serene than a solo walk on one of our area beaches? Late one evening last week, I strolled along Bayfield Beach. I could almost taste the salt in the air. It was chilly but my hoody provided warmth. I could hear the gentle lapping of the waves as a solitary gull soared in the fading light. Off in the distance, I could hear trucks at the wharf loading precious cargo of crustaceans destined for far way shores. The pungent smell of seaweed was ever present. I sat in an Adirondack chair, pondering the scene in front of me. It was a sensory buffet.

The walk the next morning provided a very different landscape. It was one of my frequent town jaunts. The campus of St.F.X. continues to be one of my favourite spots. It seems that the campus is always in a state of renewal with several infrastructure projects on the go. It is exciting to see the new grandstands at Oland Stadium and know that Canada’s top Special Olympians will descend on Antigonish later this summer. It’s not too late to volunteer.

I pass the various coffee establishments on James Street and notice small groups of retirees. No doubt they are talking about sports, politics, or their various aches and pains.

Along the way, I think about the El Camino trail in Spain. I know several people who have completed this pilgrimage and some more who plan to do it soon. This is definitely on my ‘to do’ list, maybe next year.

Lots of people are out with their dogs at this time of day. If your doctor recommends walking, get a dog. They’ll force you outdoors when nature comes calling.

At the end of an hour, I make the turn onto Pleasant Street. On one side is a nursing home and directly across the street is a funeral home, a reminder that fragility and mortality awaits us all. I think of the residents of the ‘RK’ especially those who are wheelchair bound. You know that they would all love to experience the simple joy of walking again, unencumbered. It is at times like this that I feel an incredible sense of gratitude. I never take my health for granted.

Before taking the last few steps on Court Street, I stop by the gas station on the corner to pick up the Saturday Chronicle Herald. I always try and complete the New York Times crossword puzzle, try being the operative word as I am rarely able to finish it.

All the while, I am thinking about the woman who was the hub of our family wheel.

Have a great week.

Advertisement