Sprinting, Sweating, and Skinny Dipping

The humidity and temperature didn't fall with the sun, so I was drenched with sweat as I ran to Evanescence "Bring Me to Life." I have a whole workout playlist on my Ipod with angry, soulful music. Whenever I hear it I want to run as fast as I can. I feel my thigh muscles pushed to the limit as I gasp for breath. The angry songs push me farther. I finally stop when my chest feels like it's about to explode. In that moment, the anger and pain deep inside of me seeps out a bit. I imagine it's like a healing gash that oozes pus occasionally. The wound remains but a little bit of it has escaped.

I got home and headed straight to my pool. I stripped down & hopped in to the crystal-clear water, which retained the heat of the day. I layed back and floated quietly, watching the stars above me. The full, bright moon cast watery shadows on the bottom of the pool. I listened to the night sounds of the neighborhood- crickets chirping and air conditioners humming. Fireflies lit up the trees otherwise black in the shadows of night.

It was a peaceful, beautiful moment alone in nature without being lonely. I suppose those moments surround me all the time but I'm too thick or self-absorbed to recognize them most days. That's the secret to life, isn't it? To see the beauty whenever it comes, which is whenever it damn well pleases. It doesn't consult my calendar and tell me to be ready on a certain day. Nope. I've just got to get out of my head and pay attention.