Bear and I went on an adventure today.
I slept my way through most of the morning. I woke up with a migraine. It was stemming from my neck and shoulders. It was like steam. I felt hot, and I could feel the pressure rising. I needed to cool down and rest.
I skipped my morning surya namaskar and pages, saving them for later when my head wasn’t pounding. Instead I popped some pills and went back to bed for a few hours to sleep it off.
I knew I was asking for a migraine when I went on a hard 5.25 mile run. It was such a pretty day yesterday, and I couldn’t resist the intensity.
Eventually, I drag myself out of bed and sip on some espresso while wrapping up two clinic notes from yesterday. I hate when work bleeds into my days off. After devouring some quick egg and cheese tacos, Bear encouraged us to go on a bike ride.
I am so grateful for this electric blue bike. It appeared on my door step two days ago, and I hadn’t had a chance to ride it.
I’m not much of a biker. I’m more of a runner. Though my headache was better, I didn’t want to over do it. I informed the bike that it would have to do most of the work. It only asked that I keep it upright.
It actually made the trip interesting, fun, and pleasant. I didn’t have to work very hard to keep up with Bear. I could actually enjoy myself and feel quite comfortable at the same time. The skies were clear blue, and the sun was a pleasant spring day: enough coolness to need a sweater on the way there, but enough warmth to take it off on the way back.
We made it all the way to Hendricks Park, climbing up river on the north side. We locked up our bikes and walked through the entrance gate. Two fairies welcome us into the rhododendron gardens.
It was breath-taking to see all the flowers. Their fragrance filled my lungs with good prana. My eyes filled with explosions of colors: vibrant yellows, silky oranges, and dazzling purples. Some flowers were white with a center speckled with bright pink. Others were a deep red that opened up into a soft pink. Bear said, “the white ones are pretty, but the edges go brown and ugly so fast.”
“I still find those beautiful too. The decay is part of the appeal.” I flipped my imaginary hair out of my eyes. “I appreciate my fine lines and wrinkles,” I said.
Every now and again, we would stop to observe the wild life. We watched the bees bumble, the birds hum, and the butterflies flutter. The squirrels scurried amongst the fallen pedals, and golden puppies on leashes pranced about with their tongues hanging out. I hear a mix of church bells and geese in the distance.
Once we had our fill, we made our way back down the hill.
We rode through the University, weaving between the throngs of students dressed in green and yellow. It’s a parade of drunken cheers marching towards the drums in the distance, and we’re going the wrong way. It slows our progress, but the energy is peppy.
The students are lost in their beers and phones, taking up the breadth of the path. Though we are headed right towards them, most don’t see us coming. Bear veers right, and I veer left. We go separate ways around the abandoned Power Plant and meet back up at City Hall.
Eventually we make it past the crowds. Down the river we glide, sticking to the south side. I keep my cycles slow and effortless. I let go, and I let the bike do the work.
We pass through Baker Park on the way back. This one has a Rose Garden. These have not bloomed, no even a bud. The bush is growing through, still gathering its prana for the long summer days ahead. For now, we must be patient with the work in progress.
We cross the river one last time. Upon its banks is a meadow of grass studded with white daisies. Geese rest in the shade of the trees, pointing the way home. I too am about to take rest, but before I do I must give thanks. I am grateful to Gaia for sharing its life with me. I am restored.
Writer Body and Soul 