Monday, July 19, 2010

The Best Times In Life Are...

Oh I bet you thought I'd say "free"!  Nope.  That's too easy.  And plus, I said "times".  Times aren't things...

The best times in life are wet!  Think about it.  Log flume?  Fun.  Jumping waves?  Fun.  Throwing someone in a pool?  Getting thrown in the pool?  Super Soakers?  Yep, all fun.  How about getting stuck in an absolute downpour, raindrops the diameter of nickels, rain so hard you can't lift your head up.  And if you do, you have to hold your breath so as not to drown.  Now imagine that...with your equally insane best friend an arm's length away from you.  Clearly a Master Card commercial in the making.

I noticed my legs have been feeling a lot like jelly.  Not the Beyonce kind, the Smuckers kind.  See, with this job and all the sitting that comes with it, my legs think they're on vacation.  I feel weak, I lack energy, and I know the only way I'll get past that is to fight through it.  What to do?  Youuuuuu guessed it!  Call on Pretty/Stylish Friend!  She's always up for a walk!

We began our journey of walking and talking, laughing and joking.  I'm considerably shorter, so it takes like, 8 of my steps to 1 of hers.  Or maybe just 3.  I don't know.  What I do know is...it wasn't long before I lost feeling in both legs from my hips to my knees.  My legs were LIVID!  Just like I'd be if I were on vacation and someone roused me from a peaceful slumber on the beach!  They revolted in large fashion.  As I looked down to carefully monitor my steps so as not to fall, I got a few friendly shocks in my back.  Hello, L'Hermitte's sign!  Haven't had YOU around in a long while!

Then we heard thunder. Though I'm a grown woman, I'm terrified of thunder storms. Always have been.  PSF asked if I was okay, ya know, with the storm coming in. No, not really...but let's keep going. I just needed to keep my numb legs moving. 'Cause anyone who has this lovely feature about them knows that, if you stop moving, you're essentially done moving. For awhile.


By the time we reached the top of the hill, my legs were all out swearing, numbness spreading downward.  I had to focus on not looking down to avoid electric shocks, and I had tremors in my right hand.  Then the rain came.  It quickly turned into a downpour...so strong that we couldn't keep our heads up, because we couldn't see!  Clothing stuck fast to us, sneakers oozing water with each step, but that didn't stop us from sharing bits of our day as if it were 70 and sunny...cracking up all the way.  We stomped in the streams of water rushing down the walking path, we jumped into mud puddles, and we even skipped a little. 

I kept repeating over and over how good that rain felt.  PSF shared the sentiment, but she couldn't possibly know exactly how amazing it felt to me.  And I praise God that she couldn't, because that would mean she'd have to know what it felt like...to not feel?  I'd never want someone to know that.   

Somewhere in the course of walking and talking in that downpouring, cool rain - the feeling came back in my legs.  The electric shocks were gone from my back.  My hand stopped its tremor party.   I was so taken with how beautiful those huge raindrops felt on my back, neck, and head...and the way every annoying symptom disappeared...and how beautiful the skies looked where the storm had passed by.  It was almost as if the rain was washing ms away, and it was absolutely incredible.  I looked over at my dear friend, soaked to the core.  Yep.  Still pretty and stylish.  Oh come on, a little torrential downpour can't mess with that!  

What an incredible feeling it is...to feel.  And to not feel, if you're talking about electric shock sensations.  But most of all, what an incredible feeling it is to have friends who love you that much.  Skipping?  In the pouring rain?  At nearly 40 years old?  Maybe we can have adjoining rooms at the asylum. 

I wouldn't have it any other way:-)

1 comment:

Sylvia Collazo said...

Too beautiful! thank you once again. I needed that. Life is short and friends, well they can last forever, right?

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