Walk in Delight

 

Beyond measure, I am blessed.

In ways disguised and manifest.

In ways I can appreciate and ways I cannot.

In ways deserved but in more ways graced.

In ways that touch my daily existence and ways that don’t.

Beyond measure, I am blessed.

In ways that delight and ways that overwhelm.

—

Among these many blessings is the blessing of working at a school that has two campuses.

Among the many blessings of these two campuses is that they are a short distance apart.

And this distance is easily covered on foot via a beautiful sidewalk that blessed me with its existence only a few years ago.

And the blessing of traffic.

Of a pesky left turn signal in particular.

Which means that it’s often quicker, or at least more predictable, and certainly more pleasant

to walk from campus to campus.

Than it is to drive.

—

And so I walk in blessing.

And delight.

At least once a day.

Sometimes I see cars full of my students waiting for morning drop off.

Sometimes I see the lady who wears gigantic headphones who always smiles when we pass.

Sometimes I walk with a colleague.

Sometimes I walk alone.

Once, I got soaked in a thunderstorm.

But I survived.

In the spring I walk beneath cherry blossoms.

And survive them too.

Sometimes I think.

Sometimes I plan.

Sometimes I read email.

Sometimes I wonder about the litter on the side of the road.

Sometimes I wonder at the denseness of the trees between the sidewalk and the houses on the other side.

Sometimes I see (and hear) a fire engine pulling out of the fire station on the corner.

Sometimes the fire engine inspires me.

Sometimes it terrifies me.

Sometimes I close my eyes for a few seconds to see how far I can go without opening them.

Sometimes I have to step into the street and dodge cars to avoid the sprinkler at the corner.

Sometimes I carry inter office mail.

Sometimes I spill my coffee.

Sometimes I dream up new ways of doing things.

Sometimes I try to feel the ground underneath my feet.

Sometimes I remember.

And sometimes I forget.

Sometimes, when I’m really doing it right.

I just walk.

In blessing and delight.