A Full Participant--The Pedestrian Way

It's raining in Brooklyn today, and we're heading out shortly. One friend asked me if we like not owning cars anymore. It remains my favorite part about life in Brooklyn. Justin and I say that something will really have to shift for us before we will consider owning cars again. At first I thought it was easier to say when we weren't experiencing inclement weather, but even in the weather our suburban buds would consider "bad", I love being outdoors and walking. It's as though I've invited my body to be a full participant in my life again. When I walk to the store for groceries, my body carries them home. When the rain runs down the sidewalk, knocking unpleasant scents out the air and making the street smell like it's fresh out of the wash, I breathe deeply and let my soul feel fresh and clean, too. All my senses are engaged in our activities. I feel vibrant and connected to my world. We actually have a walking-down-the-street-sing-along family play list for every kind of weather. I know by now that today as we puddle jump we will begin with the irrelevant but classic,

It's a rainy day, it's a rainy day

It's raining outside and I can't go out and play

Why do we need the rain, anyway?

from Sesame Street. This will give way to my best Annie Lennox impersonation,

Here comes the rain again,

Falling on my head like a memory

Falling on my head like a new emotion

(Here it comes again! Here it comes again!)