A walk around the block can really center your life perspective.

Feeling unwell, I exited the air-conditioned, flourescent-lit hole to the perfect sunny San Diego day. I needed to decompress… mostly from the jet lag and over-stimulation of being back in the world of electronic mail and instant communication.  The smells of my childhood immediately came wafting through my nose. Odors of dusty trails of Balboa Park, fresh-cut lawns and a variety of native plants tickled my senses as I reflected on the memories retraced through smells. Building tiny villages with sticks and leaves in the neighbor’s bushes, running through sprinklers in my skirted swimsuit all without pressure of time and place.

A cool breeze hit my skin reminding me the ocean is only a skip down the road. The air-filled with sand castles, sunscreen and salty waves. Youthful dreams of future loves and plans are now distant recollections and left only for the mind to ponder. This concept slightly saddens me as I round the corner in my return to the daily drudge, but in the same turn reminds me that it is now my son’s turn to skip and jump through the hula hoops and roll down the grassy fields of life. I’m not saying I won’t do the same… but the opportunities presented are less than they used to be, unless I choose to walk away from the confines of a desk job. I guess that is what retirement is for.