This morning I opt’d for a walk over at Elm Creek. It’s been a long summer with lots of travel, running, biking, and generally living life to its fullest. But even the joy that comes with living adventures doesn’t happen without demanding sacrifice. Over this summer I’ve traveled close to 8,000 miles for running, biking, work, and pleasure. That’s a lot of steering wheel time.

As I try to settle back into normal life my mind struggles to adjust and comprehend a world where I’m not burning through PTO at a rapid pace and I’m actually just home and doing the typical day-to-day. Frankly, sometimes it sucks. But… it is where I’m at right now so I need to find ways to ease back into it.

Today that medication looked like a walk on the ski trails near our house. Now that it has started getting dark earlier, the park has turned on the ski trail lights in the mornings. Their yellow light illuminating a pathway through the darkness, waiting in anticipation of winters first snow. It’s a ruddy light, practical and utilitarian. It’s aimed down the trail in the direction that skiers travel, not looming overhead like a typical streetlight. But on a crisp fall morning, it’s a little bit of beauty.

Originally I wasn’t planning on taking the ski trails this morning, but I’m glad I changed my mind. Not needing to navigate by the light of a harsh headlamp for the entire walk felt calming and comforting.

So thank you ski lights. I’m glad I got to spend a few moments in your glow.