I took a break from writing and stood outside in the sun eating an apple. It felt good to be alive and able to enjoy moderate weather. The sun was out but there was a cool breeze. The apple was delicious and though they might not keep the doctor away if consumed on a daily basis, they are damn good for you in numerous ways. They are nutritious, good for weight loss, good for you heart, linked to lower risk of diabetes, promote good gut bacteria, good for your bones and brain and may help prevent cancer. They also taste good and make my mouth feel clean after eating one.
So the apple.
We are desperate here for rain but I had to take in a little sun as a bit of it is also good for you, especially on those days when you’re mainly ensconced in a room writing, researching and wracking your brain.
The depression so evident that past few days is currently in abeyance. I don’t pretend that it can’t come back tomorrow, or tonight or in an hour. It’s like that. But I had my “treatment” this morning (mentioned in my last post) so there may yet come a day when I declare that depression is — at least for the most part — no longer a regular visitor.
I’m also enjoying a notable absence of anxiety and that’s an especially hopeful sign as I do enjoy my independence and hate the idea of being confined to quarters.
While enjoying my apple and the sun I also appreciated the fact that I am enjoying robust physical health — as has been the case for most of my life. A daily apple is only one example of the healthy diet I endeavor to maintain (with occasional lapses for ice cream or potato chips). The wife (how dearly I love her) makes healthy meals too (I wash the dishes). Of course I work out every other day. I focus on exercises that strengthen my core.
While roaming about outside, meandering up the block, across the street, back in front of the abode, down the block, into the street, I also noted that I had a variety of topics with which to occupy my brain. Sports is always a topic I can explore in my mental meanderings. I fear that it has taken up a disproportionate share of my active thinking time over the course of my lifetime, but I’ve enjoyed so much of it that it’s hard to complain. There is much excitement for me these days as the start of college football is days away and I’ll be in the University of California’s Memorial Stadium Saturday evening to watch my beloved Golden Bears in action. The loss of last season to the virus was a brutal blow, so it will be that much sweeter to attend games this season. Go Bears!
When I finished my apple and had deposited the core into the compost bin, I returned to our humble abode to resume my duties as a glorified scrivener. I’m a busy lad these days, a novel in the works and a new blog that I have only just premiered. It concerns itself with the aforementioned Golden Bears featuring history, trivia and fun facts. A labor of love.
I’m used to being chained to a desk —if only figuratively — for long stretches of time. It’s not so bad when you can punctuate the writing process by chatting with the wife, doing the Times crossword puzzle, checking Twitter (then quickly getting the hell off) and going outside for an apple.
It’s okay right now. I’m going to enjoy feeling okay. It’s a nice reward for hanging in there.
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