I live in Euclid and am so happy that I do – it's a walker's paradise. A couple weekends ago I reported that I was walking at Euclid Creek Reservation, creek on one side, walls of the valley reaching high, hills, old stones lining parts of the path. This weekend I stayed closer to home and walked a track near the lake. The wind was coming in off the lake over which the sun was starting to set. It was magically uplifting. And since I'd planned to walk at the track, it seemed silly to drive there on such a beautiful evening, so I added about a mile of circuitous route through neighborhood streets. This morning my mind overrode my body's protests and took it to the Y, where I worked up a sweat on several machines before finishing with a walk on the treadmill. I definitely prefer walking outdoors on cool days with sun & breeze, but for the dark and rainy hours, the Y will do just fine.
Three days, three very different walks.
I'm fortunate to live in Euclid; from my growing up years here, I knew that I would always want to live near the water. I spent countless hours at the beach and grassy areas of Sims Park (where I still take my kids today – now with disc golf!). I've enjoyed those step-ups (I swear the posts haven't changed) on the fitness trail at Euclid Creek ever since elementary school (now Euclid Creek boasts a mini walking tour of the solar system!). And as a child I took gymnastics & ballet lessons at the Euclid Y (where today I lift weights).
Part of my weight loss journey is about appreciating what I have, looking at who I am – in all my imperfection – and accepting it. It's about taking what I already have and working to improve it, rather than chasing some ready-made dream.
So, to anyone out there who feels anxious, I say "Go take a walk!" Sweat away some calories & bodily toxins, and see your community – wherever it is – and believe that L. Frank Baum was correct in writing "There's no place like home."
~Karin
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