Living in the NOW ~ While Rollerblading...

Hi. :D Mindy and I are both quite busy making journal entries for all of these circle journals we are working on. I thought I would show you the one I did today. I made a small book which I clipped together with letters spelling out the theme that the author of the journal chose (Now), then placed them in an envelop that I decorated slightly with raindrops and clipped shut with a cool paper clip. I have another entry that I am working on for the same journal and will probably post tomorrow.  

This is the first page...

This is the last page...

And now I will let you read the entire writing... without the page viewing...

"I don myself with protective gear in preparation to roller blade. As I prepare, I notice things… the sound of the Velcro coming together… the way my feet feel so scrunched, having to turn at just right angle to force themselves into the roller blades - and yet... they feel so good and fit just right once they get around that sharp bend and into the shoe... I feel the looseness of my elbow pads, which clearly must be shortened to actually protect.

I am padded down from head to knees. I head out through my front door, intending to experience the now more fully than ever before; ~ I can hardly wait to get started! :D

As I look around, I am determined to use each and every one of my senses to realize and experience more fully… what it feels like to roller blade in the rain, in Hayden Idaho... on a cloudy, peaceful, fall day.

I am determined to live in the now for this brief moment in time. Even still, thoughts continue to linger in the backdrop of my mind as they always do. I think of how wonderful it would be to have all of my thoughts and energies on just one thing… the current thing… the now… I think of how nice it would be to borrow the mind of a man… for just a day / nay… even for only a brief 10 minutes! “Oh to be a man… for even just a moment” I daydream.

My own daydream startles me into awareness. It seems a little "creepy" in retrospect, even after just a moment or two of thinking it. I have to wonder though… Do men ever experience this? Men are actually reported to think of only one thing at a time, quite often! Where as, women seem to be doomed to minds dead bent on things like efficiency, and multi tasking…perpetually thinking of several things at once; CURSES! I decide it best to let the idea go and to again simply strive to live in the now - while rollerblading in the rain. Yes… that is what I am supposed to be thinking about, the here and now. :D

Despite the lingering backdrop thoughts, something scrumptious is beginning to happen to me. My senses are heightened. I find myself more aware of my surroundings. I am enjoying, so much more than usual… not only rollerblading, but also the beautiful and tantalizing environment of my very own neighborhood. Actually, by this time I am on to another neighborhood nearby. The houses there are so lovely. And in autumn, the deciduous trees are radiant!

The trees are covered in beautiful colors… red, orange, yellow, and bits of green that still linger, swirling about with the new fall colors in artistic splendor. There are leaves on the ground as well as on the trees… all so breathtakingly lovely that I have to stop and pick some up to bring them home. So many different sizes, shapes and colors; I want a sample of each. I remember when the kids were little, coming in from gathering leaves and tracing them together on construction paper to cover the windows with. I miss that. I don’t suppose the kids would want to do that now, but still I gather leaves...

I notice that a couple of the trees have already lost their leaves; they are dark and barren, and remind me of spooky haunted forests on creepy Halloween nights. I begin to notice the Halloween decorations all about the neighborhood; it adds an element of fun to the air. I anticipate carving pumpkins and making chocolate chip pumpkin cookies, trunk-or-treating, apple juicing, and the chili cook-off with the ward. I remember where the candy for trick-or-treaters is safely hidden away so my husband doesn't have it half eaten by Halloween. But mostly, I think of the fact that the leaves will soon be gone, and I must enjoy them daily while they are still here. A fall photo shoot would be so grand!

I listen to the cars driving past, bringing up water as they splash about. I love that sound. And then there are other sounds as equally lovely. Birds chirping loudly, rain pattering upon the ground, my roller blades rolling to and fro… the sound of my blades hitting the ground just prior to sliding in an outward stroke upon the street.

I look at the trees again. They are radiant. I think of how lovely they look… and of how the leaves turn so beautiful just before dying. My husband and mother tell me that I get more beautiful with age. I think that perhaps the leaves and I have that in common. How strange though… to watch something become so beautiful, but not until so soon before dying. Perhaps that is true of us all... on the inside at least.

And then there is my body. It feels alive with movement. Movement makes my body sing; :D I’m just sure there are roller blades in heaven! As long as there are roller blades, I shall not be opposed to dying.

I feel the tightening of the muscles in my body as I move. Once arriving at an open parking lot and leaving the street, I do a little twirl and circle around in a backward motion (I love to do those!); it is so much fun! I smile with delight, as I usually do when I am in the moment on wheels. Sometimes I just go in circles… forward, and then carefully spin around to turn myself backwards before completing the circle. It is very challenging, and I am only just learning, so I often fall. On some of the turns I feel slightly afraid, or perhaps just cautious as I try to stay upright. But once I land that backward circle, I feel an incredible euphoria… the risk of falling is so worth the thrill!

I feel my body gliding through the air. I love to cross my legs, one behind the other, as I go in circles on my roller blades. I feel so graceful, and the wheels roll so smoothly beneath my feet. I dream that one day, I will do something of this sort on ice… in ice skates. I will learn to skate beautiful figures, and then entertain my family and friends as I love to be entertained by ice skaters. Sometimes, I do end up entertaining, on roller blades. Sometimes, my husband comes out and sits on a chair in our front lawn, when he knows I am rollerblading circles out front. He loves to watch me.

I like to imagine I am a figure skater wearing a white lacy shirt with cute puffy sleeves, and a beautiful blue mini skirt… skating on ice for crowds of people to watch as they cheer (Really, you ask?~ HELLO? NO! ~ LOL Not really… but I thought it sounded good, so I tossed it in for good measure! :) He he! ;) Actually, the clothes were a joke... but I do want to learn to ice skate; and so I shall, as soon as I get around to purchasing ice skates ;).

I eventually begin to tire. My body responds with less grace, and it is easier to fall; I know my body needs rest so I begin to head for home. I breathe in fresh clean air that smells of rain… deeply... slowly..., and just glide toward home to cool down. I again look at the beautiful changing colors of the trees I pass by on my way. It has been a wonderful hour and I already look forward to rollerblading again in the next day or two. :D"

...See you tomorrow with another post for the journal... "NOW" :)
Wishing you a Happy day enjoying the now!

Corine :D