What I Know, So Far...

Yesterday I mentioned that I've been examining the parts of me that I've let drop over the years. The things I used to be that for one convenient reason or another I decided not to be anymore. Things that I now miss and wish to recover.

One thing I know: I like a little adrenaline rush and a bit of physical activity, but I don't want to be responsible for it or think too much.

When I was in my 20s I would white-water raft at least once a season. I've done the Cheat, The New and the Gauley in West Virginia, thoroughly enjoying the experiences. We'd get to the put-in site and a professional river runner would take us and our raft through the water for the day. He/She was responsible for fixing lunch, and for choosing the line we'd take through each rapid to insure a safe but exciting ride. All I had to do was sit there and paddle.

But my husband and one of his friends were fond of going on the Yough outside Pittsburg, Pa. These trips were always self-guided. For some reason, our raft would usually get the newbies, so I always felt like we got the short stick in the deal. The only real problems I've had doing a river were on this one.

I tried a couple times to convince them that there was a river experience wider and more fun than the Yough, but I never won those discussions. They liked what they liked and that was it. My old river rafting friends were also getting married, having families and not available to just run down to West Virginia for a weekend with me, to I didn't feel I had the option to say: you go on your river and I'll go on mine.

Instead I quit running rivers at all. I gave up a great adrenaline high because I couldn't stop thinking and simply have fun.

I've learned a lot about myself and physical activity this past year:

I actually love to exercise as long as I don't have to think about it. That's why when I go for a walk I completely repeat the same path. Rote is good; random is thinking.

Walk the dogs? Better on a leash, because then I'm less responsible for paying attention to them.

My major complaint with the interval training that my trainer wants me to do? None of the equipment has the program set the way he wants me to do it, so I have to pay attention and think.

For me: Movement = Moving Meditation. Now that I know, I can make choices in the future that align with that feeling. And if someone wants to me do to something that requires attention and thought? I will gladly hand that over to them.

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.