Another walk in the Cold

Another lesson learned

Once again

The brisk-winded professor

Gifts a wordless lecture

Unlike human constructed curriculum

A teaching

In the form of a full breath

Of cool, crisp air

Seemingly

 Mine for a moment

Then seemingly

 Returned for eternity

A simple letting go

The only way it can be

I could have just said, “I like walks in the cold, maybe you should give it a try.” But I thought a small poem might send a stronger message.

Poems are strange things. Sometimes, they come across as corny as hell. Other times, they seem profound. Usually this is dictated by a mind state. So, don’t read poetry when you’re hungover!

I digress, back to walks in the cold. For better or for worse, this “dark winter” (as Joe Biden often says) has limited our options for leisure, which has meant that a lot of people FEEL stuck at home working, eating, drinking, smoking, parenting, sitting, ordering stuff, watching TV, scrolling through their phones, etc. It’s like, everything at home all the time. Home, home, home, and more… home.

On a positive note, you’re getting your money’s worth. That mortgage or rent is not cheap. On a negative note, you might be wondering if the couch is made of superglue. I hope the finish line is near with this pandemic. I really do. But there still might be additional opportunities for us to learn a bit more from this weird time—like the value of taking walks in the cold, perhaps.

It’s February, which means it can be frigidly cold in the Midwest. Don’t let that be a deterrent to getting outside, though. The mind is environment-driven in many respects, so being indoors surrounded by walls can lead to a sense that your life has become restricted against your will. In some ways, maybe it has (damn COVID), but mostly, this is an illusion.

The good news is that there are actually many things you can do to break this illusory spell. That’s reality. When was the last time you climbed a tree, threw a football around, called an old friend, jumped rope, danced to a song, or yes, took a walk in the cold? Life activities don’t have to serve a grand purpose in order for them to add value. And strangely, the most obvious pattern breakers can be the most difficult to see.