Summer's Renewal
Adding intention to the season
Summer is here! In all it’s glory. In addition to getting outside for favorite activities, summer brings the opportunity to rest, regroup, and refocus. For me, it’s like the New Year. I don’t necessarily call them “resolutions”, but I make a long list of “hopeful accomplishments”. With so many possibilities, it’s a challenge to organize all of them into a reasonable, doable, and measurable agenda. Because I’m not going to work every weekday, my mind is cleared of any sense of obligation and my schedule is largely a blank slate. It’s a rare and precious scenario that I’m fortunate to experience and I feel compelled not to waste these prized 12 weeks of unadulterated freedom.
So where does one begin? Tackle a long-neglected project? Read more books? Refocus on health and fitness? Start journaling again? Binge watch a bunch of TV shows, movies, and podcasts? Tap into your artistic side? Spend more time with friends and family? Meal plan and cook more? Organize and clean the house? Finally add meditation into my day? Or perhaps a little bit of all of the above?
With all the possibilities in play, it feels like a colossal task in itself trying to figure out how to prioritize all the tasks. It’s not a slacking off during summer, but actually doing more - with intentionality. Not falling into the established routine and humdrum inertia of the work week, but filling these moments with my own curated docket that expresses my personal wants, needs, and desires. Some fun, some necessary, some spontaneous. The cheery Adirondack chairs (pictured above) are now a concrete and tangible example of a summertime success. It was the perfect kick-off project.
To keep my commitment to spontaneity and growth, I’ve made a commitment to saying “yes” to offers and invitations. This past year I was working a second job in the afternoons and it really pulled me out of my active state. It wasn’t just the obligation of having to do the job, it was also a sedentary task that kept me tethered to a desk and computer. I wisely quit that job in April and I’m now trying to get back to a more active lifestyle. I’ve recently said yes to pickleball, working out at the local rec center, paddle boarding, and any activities that involve moving - or that my first instinct is to say no to.
But it hasn’t come without a price. Since my 55th birthday in April, I’ve experienced one prolonged pain for each physical activity I’ve engaged in. Pickleball = knee pain; bike riding = lower back pain; paddle boarding = hip injury (don’t ask!). I’m hearing it comes with the territory of aging. Instead of letting these aches and pains convince me to sit down and stop trying, it’s been a wake up call to get more active. Each of these issues has healed with time, Advil, ice, and a heating pad. And despite the discomfort, each activity is strengthening my body and waking up those parts that need to be stretched and worked. I literally (no exaggeration) LIMPED into the rec center the other day to sign up for an annual pass with my newly acquired senior discount. I was in no condition to work out that day, but I took the first step by enrolling. Though it may be tempting, now is not the time to slack off.
As for summer goals on the bike, well there are a few! So far this spring I’ve done just small rides. We rode to a local beer festival, we’ve ridden to a couple nearby downtowns, and on some local trails. Nothing of great consequence, but fun nonetheless. We recently added a tow hitch to our Highlander and purchased a nice bike rack, making it easy to expand our bikeable territory. I have two larger rides I’d like to tackle: the High Line Canal (71 miles of nearly entirely connected trail in South/East Denver) and the Poudre River Trail in the Fort Collins area. The timeline on these is guesswork, however, since we will be spending a month in British Columbia, Canada this summer. I’m so excited! We’re bringing the bikes and will be riding all over our temporary seaside neighborhood of Kitsilano. Watch this space for those adventures beginning in July. Freewheeling is going international!
