Simplify Yourself

You know, I just want a simple life.  I don't want the complexity and all the stuff that weighs us down. I want to live in a way that is not intrusive to others and I ultimately want to be left to my own desires. I want to be a good husband and father, I want to be a good teacher, I want to be healthy and active, and I want to challenge myself from time to time to see what I'm really made of.

As I recover from my latest challenge, I am off the running for a little while.  I had intended to come home prior to a meeting I had this evening and get a quick upper-body/core workout in, as my legs are still reminding me just how far it is to the ground and any movement is still a challenge.  I got home, changed clothes and stepped out front where my 4 year old had discovered bugs.  Not that he had never seen bugs before, but he was never really willing to touch them.  This time, though, he was much more curious.

There were a few ants and centipedes on the walkway out front and he was using a magnifying glass to get a closer look (no, the sun was not out and he was NOT burning them with a beam of light- that'll come later).  He even came inside to get a few "creature" toys (two small snakes and a lizard). He decided that the centipede should meet them, but it didn't seem to care all that much.  He then kept petting the centipede and asked if I wanted to pet it too.  Then he tried to pick it up several times, even trying to get it to crawl onto his hand.

He then wanted to walk around the block once, which we did, and finally he wanted to ride his bike with me around the block.  Riding the bike was interesting as my legs are still incredibly sore from the marathon on Sunday.  Shortly after all this, it was time to go to my meeting in Hershey.  Needless to say, I forgot about the workout I had planned.  Literally forgot what my plan was.

Honestly, though, who really cares that I missed the workout.  There was no rigid plan that I had to stick to, no need to rush to sweat.  It turned out to be a simple, yet wonderful experience.  If I had followed my plan, I would have missed the experience that I had today with my son.

Eating should be easy.  It's a basic life necessity.  Every time we make our diet rigid or follow some complicated eating plan, we miss some of the most wonderful and finer things around us.  New foods and new experiences make life a little better, a little more interesting.

Exercise should be simple, too.  That is why I run.  Walking and running are the most basic human activities and both provide incredibly good health benefits.  The longer you do either, the stronger you get and the better you get.

We've complicated life too much.  Enjoy yourself, and do what comes naturally... even if your legs are revolting against you.