Tick Tock. Tick Tock. Tick Tock...

The Universe must think I am an incredibly slow learner.  Waiting a week for biopsy results is crazy. And a test of my patience. And a test of my ability to handle stress. And a test of my wild imagination. And a test of my sense of humor. 

If you should ever find yourself in a similar situation, here are 21 things to do while waiting to see if you have cancer:

1. Rearrange your house.
2. See a comedy show.
3. See Steve Martin in concert.
4. Take your dog to the Vet for a mani-pedi.
5. Eat some wickedly fattening Mexican food.
6. Take a very long walk in nature very early in the morning.
7. Create something. Anything.
8. Back to that eating thing... ice cream. Lots of it. Within reason.
9. Purge your closet. And just about every other part of your house.
10. Alphabetize the DVD movies you never watch anymore.
11. Trim your rose bushes.
12. Do a little retail therapy. Within reason. Or not.
13. Ok, maybe I'm a little obsessed with the food thing - but make a homemade pizza. With lots of cheese.
14. Laugh. Because what choice do you have?
15. Spend time with an old friend. And laugh. A lot.
16. Stay positive. (Ok, that one's wearing a little thin.)
17. Remember and appreciate how lucky you are to have loving support from friends and family - and especially from that one special guy who is just as nervous as you are. 
18. Make plans for the future - vacations, more comedy shows, more concerts, plays... anything.
19. Stop worrying about your weight. It may turn out to be totally irrelevant. And the least of your problems.
20. Drink the good champagne. Within reason. Or not.
21. Calm the hell down. You're not in control of this one...

Go. For. A. Walk. That's All. Period.

So this is what happens when I have a grrrrreat idea for a blog post and I don't sit down that minute and write.

I kind of forget my point. And I had a really good point! Dammit.

It had something to do with getting back to my routine of walking every morning in the park ~ of rising very early, grabbing my water bottle and a camera - any camera - and hitting the trail.  I'm happy about this because being in nature is good for my head, good for my soul and any physical benefits are a bonus.

So although the skies were threatening yesterday (and it did pour later) I strolled down familiar paths with my little pink Nikon Coolpix - you know - the one I wanted so badly because it was pink. And I use it about once a year.  

There were clouds in the water as well as the sky. 

Part of my reason for resuming these morning walks is that I quite often clear my head and/or get ideas when I'm in nature. And I wouldn't mind losing a couple of lbs. so previously I have been obsessed with how many miles I've walked and what my time is. Get that cardio up! So those two things (which when you think about it are a total dichotomy) are usually my intent when setting out. But intent can sometimes backfire.

Because I find I can't concentrate. Because I'm distracted by a pelican.

Or a squirrel.  SQUIRREL!!

And I have to stop to get just the right angle 

to make some nice bokeh behind those pink flowers. 

Wait - how do I turn the macro setting on on this thing again?

And I start slowing down because I'm framing things in my head and then - hey - wouldn't that look cool framed like this.

And then I remembered something I read recently.

The purpose of fishing is not to catch fish.

So...

I told myself.  Just stop. Stop trying to control something as simple as a walk in the park. (No pun intended. Or maybe it is...) Maybe the purpose of a walk in nature isn't to solve the problems of the world - or your little life. Maybe the purpose of a walk in nature isn't to see how fast you can do it.  I've climbed mountains in my life.  I'm done with that. Maybe the purpose of a walk in nature isn't to get the *best* photograph of a bird. 

(Full disclosure - I took this pic and the two following

today with my Canon; not the pink Nikon.)

Maybe the purpose of a walk in nature is to just fricking walk in nature.  Don't count my steps; don't plan my new business model ~ just be in the moment and Go. For. A. Walk.

And don't even think about what is around the next bend.