what we have here is a failure to communicate

After the numerous spills I took the other day while walking, I was non too eager to go outside during another snow storm. However, as I have committed to this Avon Walk thing, and have only 15 weeks or so to get in shape for a marathon and a half marathon, I forced myself into my snow pants and boots and headed out.

I had a much better time, although when I first stomped down to Jordan Pond and was punched in the gut by a vicious wind, I almost turned back. My “stiff upper lip” prevailed though, (somewhat literally) and I marched on.

Jordan Pond was finally frozen all the way across, and covered now by a sweeping of snow that had kicked drifts up onto the shore. The path around the pond was unrecognizable in spots, making my navigation of it a constant adventure.

I counted eight ice huts here and there, and a neon green snowmobile kept zipping to and fro across the pond. A beautiful Golden Retriever came dashing up to me at one point, it’s lush fur shining like a newly minted coin against the white of everything surrounding. The fellow who popped his head out of his hut at the sound of the dog barking was friendly, and mentioned with classic Mainer dryness “Bit windy today.”

I think it was Terry Pratchett who mentions a “lazy wind” in one of his books – a wind that doesn’t bother to go around you, but blows right through you. (Knowing Pratchett, the idea is probably not original!) That’s the kind of wind that came tearing gleefully through the pass between the Bubbles and Sergeant Mt., a veritable sneeze from Jack Frost’s mouth.

I put my head down and trudged forward. My footprints followed those of a beaver who had gone before me, leaving little paw-prints and the marks of it’s paddle tail on the surface of the snow. I remember walking this same path during a summer dusk, with the beaver swimming beside me. It was like meeting an old friend to see evidence of the beaver’s passing.

A week or so ago, I complained to one of my librarian friends about it being too cold to walk. She told me, with the surprising vigor of an older woman “Oh you should still go – you’ll always be glad that you did!”

She’s right of course. What if I hadn’t gone walking this morning – I would have missed out on the beaver tracks and the ice huts and the trees dressed in snowy gowns. Imagine all the things you miss when you, like that terrible wind, are too lazy to bother?

Today on Good Morning America, Cher said in an interview that she only regretted the things she hadn’t done (such as not going on a trip to Vegas with Elvis!)

Thank goodness I don’t have such regrets! 🙂