"All I was doing was taking my usual walk..." (Day 9 of 10 Days of Gratitude)

Probably I've seen them often.  

Today I noticed them, and was grateful for them.

It's the day after Easter.  I'm tired.  I woke with slight nasal congestion.  Not COVID-19.  I know well the symptoms of a mild head cold.  And with the early morning as dark and rainy as it is, the thought of just staying in bed for a while was uncharacteristically appealing.

Not appealing enough to keep me there, however, even though being home alone (Japhia is back in the hospital for a few days) no one would have known.

Once up, I took some oil of oregano with a Cold-FX on the side, got the newspaper in, and instead of plunging right into work (being home alone no one would have known), I settled in instead at the dining room table with a cup of coffee and the remains of the Saturday crossword, to wait for Japhia to call and to fill in the time until I would head upstairs to my study for my regularized 9-12 work shift before lunch.

Recently I noticed a little essay about how in the pandemic we all are monks now.  I didn't read more than the title, but if I had written the essay one thing I would have mentioned is that like monks, with workplace and home being one, we and others with us benefit from a routinized day -- a balanced rhythm of regular hours devoted to the different elements of life, whatever they may be for any of us.  Work, meals, leisure, recreation together, reading and prayer, chores, study.  

Whatever.  As long as it's all good, natural and healthy human stuff.  And as long as there are set hours.  Where any alteration is the exception that proves the Rule.

Then as I puzzled at the crossword through the dining room window looking out onto the street I saw them.  Two neighbours in yellow rain jackets leisurely strolling past our house and down the street.

They didn't seem in a hurry to get anywhere.  It was obviously their regular and usual morning walk.  And the rain and dark heaviness of the sky were not going to change their routine.  Inclement weather meant only that they choose appropriate clothing.

I was grateful, and am still grateful these four or five hours later for their regularity.  And for my seeing them pass by the house this morning. 

Their yellow raingear was a wonderfully bright contrast to the rest of the morning.  And the sight of them following through on one of their routine and regularized healthy habits was welcome affirmation of my big decisions of the day -- to get up when I did, and to keep the practice of the past few weeks of taking time for my usual entry-to-the-day morning activities before heading up to work at -- and for, the appointed time.

The day has gone well, and I am grateful to those two all-weather walkers for helping me be aware of it.  

Funny what we sometimes need one another for.  And the good we are for others without knowing it ourselves.