Breathe

"I breathe better outside.  It's my 'therapy' place."

 

It's true.
I was explaining to a dear friend what helps me clear my head from the craziness...it's being outside.
Now, I'm not an exerciser...I try, but I prefer a brisk walk or slow stroll with my walking buddy.

He sets the pace.
He has messages to pick up and replace. (pee-yuck!)
He needs to investigate what events have taken place in the neighborhood.  (i.e. strange, new smells)
Obviously, as a Border Collie, it is his job to make sure that everything is in perfect order.  The neighborhood is his realm...his territory...his job...he's a detective.
He has discoveries to make
and so do I.
While he takes care of "business," so do I.
I breathe.
I think.
I let the stress of the day drift away.

But my favorite, absolute favorite time of the day is early in the morning.
And, actually, this time of the year...January. 
The mornings are amazing.
Trust me, I know...I'm out there.
While you're sleeping, Murph is patrolling and I'm...well...I'm just breathing.
The morning is full of possibilities.
Nothing has happened yet.
Nothing.
Nothing good or bad.
It's neutral.

In January, it's a different morning.
The cold, somehow, makes everything look different...feel different.
More raw. More real. 
And, well, everything has a beautiful shimmer...
...a sparkle, from the ice crystals forming throughout the night. 
God's sparkle.
It's beautiful.
Simple.
I breathe in the sparkle and it changes me.

And it's really, really quiet.
Shhhh....just listen. (I whisper.)
It's so perfectly quiet.
Most people miss this part of the day.
Most people are snug in their beds still waiting for the light, to greet the day.
Me...I have a headlamp.  It's enough light.
Plus, it is the only part of my day that is quiet. 
A comfortable quiet.

You see...I generally don't like quiet.
I thrive in noise.
I recharge from the conversations and interactions with people. 
That is more comfortable then quiet.
In the quiet you think.
You ponder...you wonder...and try to solve problems...most of the time.
But not in the morning, I just breathe.
I let the bad, stuffy air out of my body, and bring in the good.
In January, the cold, crisp air, brightens my lungs and brings a new freshness into my soul.
I breathe.

As we marched head first into January, I challenge you to one thing...it's simple.
Breathe.
I know, I know...you do that anyway. 
But that's not the breath that I speak of...this is very different.
It's purposeful.
It's meaningful.
It.   will.   change.   you.
Trust me.
It changes my world, daily.
I just breathe better outside.
You'll see.
It's better.
Breathe.

 

P.S.- When I hear the song, Breathe, by Michelle Branch I think about this scene...

I'm so lucky to have an amazing safety net. :0)