365 Inspirations—273: A Walk in the SUN

Indecisive Seattle weather

One of the things I remember clearly from our trek over Salkantay Glacier in Peru is when our guide, a full-blooded Quechua, raised his hands, open palms to the air, just as the last ray of sun fell behind the glacier. He also closed his eyes and chanted something under his breath. In Quechua the sun is called 'inti' and is worshiped just like the moon 'quilla'. Pachamama, Mother Earth, is also highly revered.

After two days of torrential downpours ( I walked between squalls), I wanted nothing more than to get outside. I was determined, even though I had a full schedule today, to get outside and walk.

So even though the clouds looked dark and ominous, I convinced my husband to come with me to Greenlake for a 3-mile walk.

It started out windy and looked like a storm was going to crash on our heads, but then everything changed.

The dark clouds left the sky completely about half-way around the lake and the only thing overhead was that bright orb and blue sky.

Instinctively, my husband and I lifted our arms to the sun, palms to the sky, eyes closed, and just stood there very still taking it all in. We felt the warmth and let it penetrate us and give us the light we so miss this time of year.

After our little walk, despite storms and clouds (externally and internally) that still threaten our horizons to come, I felt energized. Such a simple, peaceful walk with my husband on a normally busy day changed my entire perspective about life. It made me want to slow down and it made me want to be present for the shifting winds that I'm sure are coming my way.

Do you ever stop to take in the sun, or is it around you all the time?