Don’t get me wrong. I love the sunshine and cacophony of smells, sounds and visual brilliance that hits your senses with the arrival of dry summer spells. Endless cold and wet make me want to hibernate, which is ever so bad for human beings who generally need to move and interact; at the very least, to keep ourselves remotely functioning and presentable.
I find myself on the riverside path leading to my current favourite watering hole, meandering past the roar of a waterfall perhaps more reminiscent of Welsh valleys than deepest Birmingham, which then opens up into velvety green parkland, its colours and textures intensified by a recent rain shower. The journey is spent musing about this day, maybe tomorrow and possibly throwing in a few other random days here and there, wondering if the contents of this head could possibly be that interesting to you.
But how can I fail to express how grateful I was today to unfurl that readily ignored scrap of clothing squashed inelegantly into one corner of my bike bag. As the spiky rain threatened to turn into a downpour, dampening spirits as much as skin, I joined another cyclist in tweaking our attire appropriately (both ignoring and enjoying the fact that this statement could be misconstrued) and immediately experienced a newfound warmth and comfort that encouraged our surroundings (not the aforementioned cyclist sadly) to woo me, all over again.
I also gave silent thanks, both to be relieved of ‘garden hose duty’ for a while longer, and on behalf of all thirsty gardens that will thrive today by drinking the healthiest kind of water, straight from the sky. Note to self:
- Add ‘water butt’ to To Do List
- Aim to look at (laughably long) To Do list more frequently
- Do occasional stuff on To Do List
There are too many days to mention, when, take my word for it, you would not want to meet me. Looking pale faced, fed up and unwell as I often do is the legacy of chronic pain for so many of us. I cannot say thank you enough to the caring, thoughtful and incredible people who accept me and all the baggage I bring to our meet-ups on those days. Friendship doesn’t get much better.
In contrast, my current state of grace is a privileged and hard-earned place to be in, which makes it all the more precious. Let’s toast to the good days. And being blessed with the ability to know them, when they are here.
