Today is the Day to Wear Pants!


Yesterday, I let it get to me...

~Seven weeks of stay-at-home...
~Seven weeks of wearing only pajamas and sweatpants...
~Several days (weeks??) of cold, grey rain...
~News of a young life taken too soon...
~The winding, strenuous pathways of life that my own kids are traveling...
~Weeks turning in to months, and still so much uncertainty...

By the day's end, I was exhausted, sad, impatient, not at all pleasant to spend time with. 
When I woke this morning, I wasn't feeling any more positive.  Thirty minutes of quiet, coffee time helped a little.  Seven miles with my faithful running crew ~ human and canine ~ helped a little more, but a long day still loomed ahead.
After getting the dogs home, I decided to go back out for a couple more miles.  I put in my earphones and changed my Pandora station from Sting to Elton John.  The first song to play was "Tiny Dancer," a song that is special to both my daughter and me. Despite being out in public in the quiet of the morning, I sang along.  My pace quickened, and my spirits lifted. The second song to play was an all-time favorite of mine; a live, George Michael performance of "Don't Let the Sun go Down on Me," where Elton John joins him for a duet part way through.  As George Michael announces Elton John's appearance on the stage, the crowd goes wild.  I slowed down to a walk, so that I could savor the song.  I spread my arms out wide, and sang along, joining the crowd. My spirits lifted.  The next song was "Take it Easy," by the Eagles.  I can actually hear my dad singing along to this song, and I can see the smile on his face.  My spirits lifted.  "Benny and the Jets" was next, followed by "Your Song."  My spirits were now soaring higher and higher.
By the time I arrived home after 25 extra minutes, my mindset had almost completely reversed.  Today, running was the healer, being outside was the healer, mindfulness was the healer, memories of dad were the healer, music was the healer.  Within twenty minutes, I had showered, and coffee was ready.  I thought to myself, this is the day to finally wear real pants! Do you know how much better I felt putting on real pants?!
The tale of this morning's events is one hundred percent true - no poetic license has been taken whatsoever.  Finally, as I powered up the hill to my driveway, the last song to play was an acoustic rendition of "Here Comes the Sun," by the Beatles.  Could my musical, running meditation have been any more perfect?

The sunshine is coming, and it's going to be alright.  It's going to be alright because we are going to choose to make it alright.  Learn to be deliberate about your mindset.  If you need to change your state of mind, carefully select your coping skills, and make the change.  You can do this.  We can do this. 

Take care of you.  💖

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