Day 126. Discombobulation.

Day 126.

Grateful today for a little philosophy. 
A bit long...

I was in Dunfermline by 8.30 this morning and had a couple of hours to kill whilst my car was in the garage. 
I landed up spending most of the time walking in Pittencrieff Park.
After recent challenges, it felt good to slow down, and take time to enjoy the warmth of the morning sun on my face, to stop and appreciate the colours and scents of the flowers, and to laugh at the slightly ridiculous peafowl.

Pittencrieff Park has many memorial benches, and as I walked, I read some of the plaques and inscriptions. Wee poems and gratitudes for the lives of family members, friends, and colleagues; stories of long lives well lived, and others tragically shortened; the untold story of "the boy in the orange jacket" - "This Charming Man"...

It made me acutely aware of the fleeting time we have, of the importance of family, of friendships, of appreciation of the natural world, of kindness and humanity, of being unaware of what lies ahead.

It made day 1 of my "sabbatical" seem more acceptable. 
My musings led to me remembering two pieces of writing; one that I read very recently that struck a chord, and another that is a longtime favourite:

“People always ask, ‘Can I afford to retire?’
But maybe the real question is… ‘Can we afford not to?’
Time is precious, and life isn’t just about working—it’s about living.
Retirement isn’t the end of purpose; it’s the beginning of freedom.
Here’s to more sunsets, less stress, and finding joy in the little things.”
(Popped up randomly on social media recently).

Leisure 

"WHAT is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?—

No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows:

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare."
( Someone introduced me to this poem by W.H. Davies many years ago, and encouraged me to take the message on board).

So, while I figure out my path from here, I'm going to engage in a bit of standing and staring; of enjoying sunsets, and less stress.

3.8 miles walked today. On target for the 100 miles by the end of May.
My tee-shirt for our team walk arrived today. Donations are building. Thank you to everyone who has donated so far. Looking forward to the 10 miles in Crieff on May 31st with Georgia Sterry and Niamh Macpherson .
https://www.justgiving.com/team/sterry?utm_medium=TE&utm_source=CL

Couldn't really choose one photo from today...
It was a tale of two cities; a wander in Dunfermline, then lunch in Glasgow with Niamh, then tea and strawberry tart with Jane Hinshalwood . Now I need to work up to emptying the car that's got half a student flat in it!!