Walking with the Wind

Late most every evening I take our dog out for a walk. The official reason is so the dog can take care of her "business", but as with many of life's patterns the walk has had other unintended benefits for me. And no, its not a time for me to take care of my "business" in the same sense as the dog. But it is a time to sort through the day, contemplate the heavens for a few minutes and end the day with a breath of fresh air.

So, the other night our evening excursion took place during one of those horizontal snow and sleet flurries. Normally I find myself hunkering down and focusing on getting out and back as quickly as possible in lousy weather like that. But, halfway out to the "business" zone it dawned on me that I had been enjoying the gentle (though persistent) pitter-patter of snow and sleet on the back of my coat and hood the entire walk. I was reminded that life is like that sometimes. Occasionally we come upon these little stretches when the wind is at our back, the trail is downhill or we're paddling with the current. Pleasant times all, and wonderful respites from what inevitably follows.

These moments when the wind is at our backs provide us a chance to pause and experience feelings of peace, tranquilty, connectedness and gratitude-for warmth, protection, health, family, and the many positive influences in our lives. And in these moments we can also grow in appreciation that we are blessed with the strength, capacity, insights and patience for what lies ahead. For time passes, tomorrow follows today, and before long it will be time to turn back and face into the shifting wind again.