Dancing on the Stone Arch Bridge

[pegkerr]

I have been experiencing a sort of deep contentment lately. It feels even a little bit like it has been bordering on a sort of mania. I have been short on sleep the last two days, and I resorted to caffeine in the morning both days; perhaps that has something to do with it?

Three times a day, whenever I can manage it, I go out for a walk over the Stone Arch Bridge (fifteen minutes at mid-morning, a half hour at lunch, and fifteen minutes at mid-afternoon):



On the shorter walks, I go halfway across, turning around at the commemorative steel placard at the midpoint, and on the longer walks, I go all the way across and take a turn in the park on the other side before heading back. I take my iPod and earbuds and choose a podcast, or sometimes something fast and upbeat to encourage me to pick up the pace.

The sky has been gun-metal gray the last few days, but oddly, that has not had the least impact on my mood. Today, I chose Entrain's "Dancin' in the Light (Tarbosh)" and strode quickly down to the river as I always do, dodging the construction workers working around the old Whitney Hotel site. By time I had gotten to the river, I was fighting the urge to incorporate the rhythm of the drums in my walk. I stole a quick look behind me. No one was close by. What the heck.

I turned up the volume slightly, and started letting my hips really sway to the beat. Soon, I changed my pace, in time to the music: Step, step, step-hop-step, step, step, step-hop-step. Gulls wheeled over the surface of the water below me, and I felt a fierce joy well up in me, as if I could take off and fly with them, too. At the halfway point across the bridge, I was definitely dancing.

My blood felt carbonated in exhilaration. My step, step, step-hop-step became faster and faster, close to a run, as my heartbeat speeded up, and I threw my coat open, swinging my hands from side to side. I took deep, hungry gulps of the cold October air (almost too delicious to bear) as I looked up at the sky, laughing. At the end of the bridge again, I stopped to do some karate slow kicks: front kick, roundhouse, side kick.

I barely was able to keep myself from blowing a kiss to the construction workers on my way back.

My steps slowed a bit as I entered my building, but I still danced in the elevator until it stopped at my floor. I stepped off the elevator reluctantly, my cheeks red and, I'm sure, my eyes as brilliant as Elizabeth Bennett's.

The sway of my hips on the way back to my desk was utterly dangerous.

Comments

[wilfulcait.livejournal.com]

Yay! It sounds like you're benefiting from the joy of the season and a fullness of animal spirit. I love the image of you dancing across the bridge.

[lrodell.livejournal.com]

What a lovely bridge--and it sounds like you're having a good time walking it^^

[misia.livejournal.com]

That's quite a bridge, Peg. I shall have to give it a try if I ever get the chance!

I'm delighted that you had such a grand time, it sounds fabulous.

(Including the "cold October air" -- it was in the upper 70s here today and I am so. tired. of. it. being. warm.)

[jbru.livejournal.com]

You bring a smile to my lips with that description. I remember when you passed on the link to that song; it made my day go faster, definitely a mood-booster.

Do you keep up your walks in the winter? Or take them to the skyway?

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

I try to exercise through the year. There is a mini-gym in my office building, and what I did last year was to go down and use the elliptical on my breaks. But I have come to enjoy my outdoor walks so much that it will be hard to give them up. The sky way is over two blocks away and it's boring, so not appealing for my short breaks. I think I'll keep up the outdoor walks as long as I can and resort to the elliptical only on the coldest days.

[maribou]

That was a wonderful story.

[chamisa.livejournal.com]

Beautiful!

This reminded me of something I saw a few weeks ago whilst driving to check out a Middle Eastern rug store that was going out of business.

Stopped at a red light, I looked to the left and saw a young guy and an older woman at a bus stop. The woman was seated, looking at the guy, who was dancing. I mean, he was full-on, completely uninhibited, feet flying, arms waving, head bobbing, dancing. It was awesome! He had headphones on so he was clearly moving to some kind of funky groove on the iPod, and he was not embarassed at all to let everyone see him. The woman appeared to be watching with calm benevolence, as if she saw young cats grooving like that at the bus stop every day. Perhaps she did.

I wasn't at the store for very long, and as I was driving back in the other direction, I saw that the bus had not arrived yet, for there was that guy, and he was still dancing.

[kijjohnson.livejournal.com]

:)

O happy day.

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

This made me smile. A lot.

[kaytecat.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I remember that joy, remember dancing the irrepressible life of the season. Even to read what you wrote brings a small burst of joy, threatening to escape up my lungs and out my mouth, tickling the nostrils with champagne bubbles.

I am reminded how much I love walking, this time of year. This evening, perhaps.

[mplsvala.livejournal.com]

Yay for you. What a lovely mental picture.