Simple Things

It seems as I get older I more and more appreciate the simpler things in our lives. 

I enjoy a walk to nowhere in particular. I walk at a decent pace, but still have plenty of time to take in the sites. I notice the wildlife, changes to landscapes, new businesses, new houses, great looking houses, trashy  houses and a multitude of other things I never noticed before.

The same goes for my bike rides. They can take me outside my walking range. Since nobody likes to ride on busy highways or major streets, I have to find new routes to places. I have seen many parts of the area that I never saw in 20+ years of driving. As the area has become more populated and congested, those routes are a little harder to find and at the same time they have become about as efficient as driving. 

It has become much more important to enjoy the journey than to get to the destination. Don't get me wrong, the destinations are still important. I will probably go to the fall festivals in the area. The Bedford Blues Fest (walk), the Southlake Oktoberfest and Grapevine's GrapeFest (bike). 

What made me think of this topic was tonight's final game in my son's softball season. He plays with many of the guys he played with in T-ball, Little League, high school and now beer league softball. I was there for those games too. Sometimes as a coach and sometimes as a supportive parent. Many years ago I did the same thing. I'm still in touch with some of those guys. We don't play much ball anymore, but we enjoy watching it and talking about the days we could make the double play. I will miss our Wednesday nights together at the ball field until next year. I enjoy being around the guys. 

Surprisingly, I will also miss my bike rides home from the games, especially the late games. In our Texas summer heat, early morning or after dark are the bearable times to be outside. By the time the late games end around 10:00 PM there is the added bonus of very little traffic. It is extremely peaceful, just me and my bike. No roar of the engine, AC fan or radio.

So, the moral is a walk, bike ride, ball game, conversation with a friend and other very simple and often free activities make me happy. Another thing I enjoy is writing but I have difficulty keeping it short and simple. I have some theories on that problem but I'll defer that for another post. Otherwise, this will become too long and delayed. 

Ditch the watch and the plan. Just head out sometimes. Enjoy what you see and encounter.

wjh