Day 352 ~ Just Go There

December 18, 2014

My Instead: I took an evening walk down a street that was not in my neighborhood.

It was past 10 o’clock at night and there was still an “instead” to do on my “to do” list. After a few hours of last-minute Christmas shopping, I drove home while thinking about what I could make happen. And then it happened! My car made a quick right turn onto South Virginia Street off of McClintock. I made a U-turn to park on the “permitted” side of the street, put my coat on, and got out to take a walk. No big deal, right? Right. But this was not my neighborhood and I had no destination in mind…at least not geographical. What could possibly be there for me?

I zipped my coat to keep the chill of the night air off my bones and pocketed my hands to keep my fingers from cracking any more than they already had. Let the saunter begin! Ahhhh…it was a crisp, quiet night and there were still some Christmas lights illumined on scattered houses just waiting for me to see. Most of the homes were bungalow-style and reminded me of the second home we bought during my marriage. I saw no signs of life in any of the dwellings, but I wondered who lived within their walls. What kind of people were they to live on this long-established street in Belleville? Were they older and had lived there most of their adult years or were they young and starting a new life? Were they honorable people living a good life? I didn't want to think otherwise. Investigating the distinctions among the houses, the yards, the parked cars, and the decorations kept my brain heavily occupied with its usual analysis. Hey, it’s what I do. 

My head swam with reflections, taking me to a welcomed placed I had no idea of visiting, especially two days before my Christmas celebration. Where my mind and I had been for the last month was nowhere to be found. What I did discover was that there is life beyond the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. And taking a brief 20 minutes to just “go there” was indeed no waste of time.