Archived August Post

August always heralds the end of summer like a forty-year old bemoaning their age, instead of enjoying their days. The weather is hot and the outside beckons with blue sky. Well… it might beckon more to others than to me. I love being inside. I love working on projects… art…  writing… reading…

It’s a good thing that I organize for Wholesome Queers here in Southern California. It forces me to leave my nest and hike, or go to museums, or see theater. On Saturday afternoon, eleven of us hiked up to Eaton Canyon Falls near Pasadena. My phone says we walked over 5 miles, but I suspect it lies to make me feel good. The hike was probably closer to 4. But temps were in the mid-90s, so maybe my phone was sensing my sore feet rather than actual mileage. But I think we all had a nice time despite the heat. Really good folks. On Sunday morning about ten of us hiked 3-4 miles in the hilly neighborhoods around the Hollywood Bowl. It’s important to step away from our comfortable nests and experience exercise and connection.

Reading can expand our imaginations and our lives. But interacting with our world gets our blood moving and shakes up our normal. I believe it’s good for our brains as well as our muscles. New experiences fire off our synapses in new ways, building our neural networks. Outside of our doors, we are never quite sure what will happen. Take a chance.

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings