Hi there. That's me. Welcoming the gloomy, muddy, depressing weather that comes by right before winter starts and just at the neck of when winter ends. It is still pretty cold, but the snow is melting everywhere. The roads turn into what I like to call the "Forbidden Chocolate Slushie".
I'd usually drive to and from places like this. But today, I decided to go to my snowboard practice with the bus. Simply to save up in case the invasion gets real. And after my practice, I decided I'd take the hour and a half long walk back home. It simply felt right. There'd also be a lot of things I would come across for the first time.
Like this place, for example. An isolated spot deep inside the trees just a few minutes walk away from the slopes. Doesn't look like many people come by, but it was well-maintained. A few small wooden houses, too big for a dog, too small for a human, but still there. Beautiful decorative lights, and chalk signboards that didn't really say much. Weird, but pretty. Intriguing, at least.
There is a sense of relief growing in me. With winter coming to an end, the opportunities for activities are opening up. There is going to be so much more I can do without all the snow and freezing temperatures. I walked through the woods, letting my mental map guide me through the tall trees. It was very exciting. I had at least an hour of daylight remaining so there was not much to be worried about. The only thing I wanted to avoid was walking in circles.
It was very interesting. The woods were still packed with soft snow, a drastic contrast to the forbidden slushie piling up everywhere else. I could also picture the trees and bushes becoming green again, as beautiful as they'd look it wouldn't be something I'd visit. Eventually, I came across a few houses inside the woods and I knew I had help nearby if I ever needed it. They looked so cozy and pretty against the white snow.
I did eventually find my way to a street. But it is nothing proud to be of. I had a mental map drawn out, and I had a pretty solid idea I'd end up on this very street if I maintained a specific path through the woods. Nevertheless, it was very exciting. The feeling of venturing into unknown territory, the uncertainty of something going wrong and the worst happening, and at the same time feeling victorious when everything goes according to plan.
Now, this street is very interesting. On one side there is a whole gated community being built from scratch, and on the other side, there are some structures that look like they've been around since the soviet union.
What really raised my eyebrow was not only that this place is a little isolated, being a little inside the woods. But also the fact that the gated community being built has houses that are priced in the millions. Meanwhile, the structures on the other side look like abandoned schools or at least a summer camp for children. Two sides of the same street, two different stories. I wonder which side of the street deserves the money to better impact society as a whole. What do you think?
I love these long walks in calm areas. There is so much time to think about things. Things that do not necessarily impact my life or anything at all. But I like to think about things that I would otherwise not think about. In fact, most of my success is a direct result of such walks. I used to always walk and think about my next plans and how to execute them. Something about physical exertion and blood flowing to the brain works like magic.
I made it to the highway. There was another large land of woods that I could walk across to make the distance shorter, but I decided against it. I was not sure about the route and it is safer to let the roads guide me.
No music, no earphones, not many people either. Just me, the road, my thoughts. It is very freeing. I feel like I reach a height of internal discussion that cannot be achieved any way else. It is a way of detoxing from the constant ambient noise around me, may it be technology or news or other sorts of stimulus. Zero distractions.
I am beginning to understand "runner's high". I was myself exhausted from the practice, and I pushed myself to walk through the exhaustion. It is an incredible feeling. Every muscle in my body felt relaxed. I felt weightless. Breathing felt fun. I felt like a new me. Endorphin. Endorphin. Endorphin. No sense of stress, pain, or worry. Living in the moment. Now that the weather is getting better, I might be lucky enough to do this more often.
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