I needed a breather today and took myself on a long and rambling afternoon bike ride, complete with a few park stops as well as a sneak-attack phone call with a dear friend in the middle:) It was exactly what I needed: over the course of a few hours, I felt much more like myself — in no small part because I got to borrow the energy and happiness from all the people around me reveling in the basically perfect day.
A few things I overheard that I loved:
- From a woman biking down the Springwater path on the phone: “Well, I don’t have a car anymore, so I love life so much.” (Ha! I loved that comment immensely and immediately thought that we should be friends;)
- From a woman biking down SE Clinton Street with some friends: “Gosh, I just love biking!! I want to do this all summer!”
- From a man pushing an elderly woman in a wheelchair near the South Waterfront: “Isn’t it so nice to be outside, Mom?”
- From a little kid in Willmette Greenway Park: “It’s the kind of day where we can get ice cream later, right?” (heh. Inspired by this kid, I did in fact get ice cream later today;)
I love overhearing and borrowing other people’s psyche:)
.
It’s also really nice to be in Portland for realz for a solid weekend and more than a few days in a row. James and I went to Europe (which was amazing!) and since I got back I’ve been joking that I live at Mount St. Helens now — kind of a joke, but also I spent 6 out of 10 nights there until last week.
.
(though who can argue with this kind of thing?)
.
(Especially when you’re getting paid to be there?;)
.
(Also, you’re welcome that more of the trails around the east side of Mount St Helens don’t look like this anymore, heh. Yes, I was actually standing in the trail, not just a random thimbleberry thicket)
.
Anyway. Nothing huge to report here, just feeling happy about summer and other people’s enjoyment of it too:)