January: Freeze Your Buns Fun Run

30 years ago today the temperature was -40 degrees. So today's 5K race was, by comparison, a tropical breeze. Still cold, it's been a much milder winter than anticipated. I'm glad.
The day was made especially memorable by a string quartet rehearsal after the run. New music, preparing for an upcoming performance, it was relaxing and fun. My family and I then drove to Pueblo, enjoyed time together getting a framed picture that was ready, shopping, eating at Applebee's, and a nice walk along the beautiful Pueblo River Walk. I awoke this morning not wanting to leave the house, wishing I hadn't registered for that race, wishing I weren't going to be performing soon, wishing I didn't have to feel so rushed from race to rehearsal, wishing we hadn't planned on this trip to Pueblo. I realized that in my past I would have actually been excited about this, but that now, I've relinquished these kinds of things in favor of the security and warmth of home, a good book, and some quiet time. I'm not sure what the change has been, nor when it happened. I find myself looking towards retirement, in 4 or 5 years, with excitement. I still enjoy teaching, I have a great job, I'm just tired of the social problems of our society and having students with such difficulties. I find that much of the time I am tired. My health is good, a blessing I'm thankful for, but still, I'm tired much of time. Perhaps getting older has something to do with it? And perhaps anxiety and taking some gut punches the past months has had something to do with it. I know I'm glad I've traveled a lot, seen what I've seen, learned what I've learned. No regrets. But I'm somewhat tired of travel. Perhaps with Springtime coming I'll revert to more optimistism. I've learned that I'm to become a grandfather at summer's end. I look forward to that, although I worry about the health of our daughter, the pressures our son in law faces and his health, and what kind of a future they'll face given global economic concerns. Times are tenuous. What was it Dicken's wrote? "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, .... we had everything before us, we had nothing before us..." I suspect this has always been the case. Just now, however, at age 50, with our family nearly grown and soon empty nesters, I find that I have concerns for our children, and their children. Typical, I suspect.
So, despite the cold January day, this 1st race of the year was good. I'm glad I did it. Glad too that it's over. :)
Be well, do good...