Something ate a bird

 Something ate a bird

Can you see the plane taking off and banking?

Rainy day walk to Willow Lake, man made, feels like a pond to me, someone said a "city lake". There's a workout area just before the bridge over to Flushing Meadows Park, and the Pat Dolan Trail to Willow Lake. I tested out the exercise equipment, I'm going to have to start working out more. I want to live long for my children.

Thoreau died at age 44. He had TB and health challenges like Bronchitis challenged him, he was in decline. "His friends were alarmed at his diminished appearance and were fascinated by his tranquil acceptance of death. When his aunt Louisa asked him in his last weeks if he had made his peace with God, Thoreau responded, "I did not know we had ever quarreled."" (Wikipedia). That reminds me of the Leonard Cohen lyric, "When they said repent, I wondered what they mean." I wonder if he got that from Thoreau. 

Comparing yourself to others is the road to unhappiness, but I've lived a lot longer than Thoreau and I haven't really go much to show for it. Shifting to appreciation, his appreciation of nature is inspiring, his idea that you could live differently gives non-conformists like me courage. His desire to live his life is an inspiration. I think his civil disobedience is cool, but these days the wrong people pick up unrighteous causes and the wrong people are quoting Martin Luther King, whom we celebrated this week. I think our times are out of whack, and social media means everyone thinks they can blather on about things. Look at me here. 

The back is between two highways. I used to run along the Lake Shore park in Chicago when I visited my parents. Parks and highways go together in cities. I cross the Van Wyche to get to the path, the park. It's a pleasant walk from my daughter's school.

It wasn't much of a forest bath because it's not green, it's winter time, but it's still peaceful to see the ducks on the lake. I haven't been down to the lake in a while, but it was really nice in the rain today.