Years ago, when my offspring were young, an aunt of theirs had a phrase that she would use when her kids, or a collection of kids, were becoming more energized than the space they were in could handle. She would say, "Mandatory air!" All the adults would laugh, share a common, knowing look, and shoo the kids outdoors. The kids loved it, the adults needed it and everyone benefited. A win-win situation.
This afternoon, after a frustrating twenty-four hours, my inner parent was shouting, "Air, air, air!", just like a submarine commander shouts "Dive, dive, dive!" in the movies when enemy torpedoes are whizzing toward his boat. At first I resisted the urge to get out and away. My rationalization was that I had this list of chores to accomplish at home and, by golly, if I made the list for today then how could I possibly ignore my own list? Fortunately, my inner-parent voice became louder than my Sergeant-Pepper voice and I took leave of the condo. It turned out to be just what my psychologist voice told me I needed.
While out, I observed that the roadways were quite populated with other drivers, presumably out doing the same thing as I - running errands, perhaps to escape cabin fever or whatever you want to call the lethargy that grips most of us at this time of year. The holidays have been over for a month now, the beauty of a winter's day is growing old, the roadways are littered with large-and-ever-growing potholes, pavement seams have buckled enough to produce a constant washboard effect that jars the body as well as the automobile, the snow has melted just enough to create a dull, gray and dirty landscape, and our cars carry so much road grime that we grimace each time our clothing rubs against them.
Yes, this is the time of year to air ourselves out......maybe multiple times per day, if necessary. If I had screens on my windows, I would open some up just to let in outside air. If there was more snow cover, I would wish I had cross-country skis. The plus about winter is that because the foliage is off the trees, all the male, Northern Cardinals stand out like laser spots on a target. Their red is spectacular.....more spectacular than any man-made vignette could ever be.
There, I found one good thing about being cooped up inside. Watching the sentinels of the forest cavort about in the trees behind the condo.
Thanks, boys. I needed that!
Ancora imparo
