Every year about this time (at least, since I've been in South Bend), I have a reoccurring thought, "I love spring time..." I think this because this is the time of year it gets warm enough for me to hit the great outdoors and go running and mountain biking. I absolutely love to do both. Of course there's the physical challenge and benefits of getting in shape, but there's another reason that the busier I am becomes more and more a valued commodity.
Running generates one of the few times in my day when my mind and thoughts are simply free to "dance." I could direct the direction in which my thoughts hoover during these times via. intention reflection or my beloved iPod, but there is something about abandoning all stimuli and simply letting the "mind dance" where it may...
It's amazing to see what I think about when I don't have to think about anything specific... It is during these times that creativity often flows, I begin to unintentionally see issues, problems, circumstances and even people from a different perspective - a better one - a more healthy one - a more productive one... For example, I've been working with a new computer program, trying to figure-out, navigate and learn the in's and out's of it. There were several things that I was unable to do and nearing a dead end, and that's after much troubleshooting and even consulting the Help Manual. Then, just yesterday as I was tracking through the woods on my afternoon run - mind dancing - as I downed a hill, turned a corner, and jumped some logs it came to me... The program flashed before my eyes.... and I saw something I hadn't seen before, even with the program open right in front of my eyes... In a fraction of a second I saw something, "that's it!" I thought. And guess what, several hours later, I opened up the program, gave it a whirl, and "Bingo."
These times are not only creative fueling, but therapeutic. I have found this part of my day life giving, renewing, and simply essential, and for things much larger than software glitches...
(As a side... mowing the grass often produces the same kind of space... a number of things can, if only we let out minds dance.)
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