We are betwixt snowstorms here once again, in this most vicious of midwestern winters, another several inches expected tonight, for which a place will have to be made on top of the residual heaps left by the snowplow on Monday. Sigh.
But I walked the dogs today (oh, such joy in their wagging tails!), for luckily the path in our community park gets cleaned very quickly since the local police use it to patrol. Though I'm sorry there is a need for that particular activity, the blessing is that the walk is always cleared of snow and ice.
We marched briskly around the one mile track, clear sailing all the way, which was fortunate because Magic and Molly were at full tilt the entire time, and I found myself nearly jogging to keep up (the knees will pay for that later). But just as we rounded the final bend to the parking lot - WHOA!- ice, big time, first a silvery slick puddle, followed by a stretch of deep, frozen ruts.
Slowing down, I crept gingerly across, stepping off the path into a snowbank to avoid that miniature skating rink. I've fallen once on ice, breaking my right elbow, and believe me, a broken right arm is just not the thing for someone who makes her living operating one type of keyboard or another. So having been burned, so to speak, by ice in the past, I'm fearful of it.
Of course that icy patch is so like life in general, isn't it? You're sailing along, enjoying the movement and breeze, when suddenly you're pulled up short - by illness, sadness, family or work difficulties-an icy patch in the road. Cautiously, we made our way through that small rough spot, the dogs sensing my reluctance and slowing down accordingly. I focused my attention on each step, careful to maintain my balance. We reached the car without incident, our joy in the walk not marred in the least.
May all my travels along life's roads be as deftly navigated.
Wishing you clear sailing on your life's pathway...