The Elements

I rarely pay attention to the weather report. I gain all my weather forecasting knowledge on hearsay, which, for the most part, is surprisingly accurate. But I didn't quite understand what was in store for us yesterday. We headed out the door for a fabulous spring break play date. The last thing I did before departing was hang my laundry out to dry. And then the kids and I jumped on our bikes and excitedly rode away.

Fast forward four hours when this same bunch arrives home a soaking mess after an invigorating ride through a rainstorm rapidly turning into a wet March snowstorm. The funny thing is, I really didn't mind. Sure, it was wet. Sure, it was cold. But at least we beat the snow. And the wind was at our backs. And the kids rode FAST. Oscar didn't even whine once that he had to stop and take off his bike helmet to itch the top of his head. It was just a little rain. Water. "Yum!," said Matilda as she caught raindrops on her tongue.

We are frequently out in the elements. I don't see much point in trying to hide from them. There they are: sun, wind, rain, snow. If I want to get from Point A to Point B, I must be out in them. My vehicle is, after all, a stroller (or bike).

At this point, I'm sure everyone knows me. I'm the one with the awesome red Chariot with many children bubbling around her. There's probably one in your town too. The one who rarely is seen in a car. Because I sold my car when I was pregnant with Matilda. She wouldn't have fit. So it is no surprise when I am out there walking to pick up Oscar from preschool in a blizzard or a rainstorm or extreme cold. Why would I let a little weather stop me from getting my son six blocks to preschool? And you know what? I like it!

Sure, there are always those days when I am running late or just tired and it literally hurts to take one more walk. But then I imagine loading up one or two or three kids into their car seats, finding a parking place, unloading them at our destination, herding them in and out, and then reloading them to return home. It is much easier to simply say, "Grab your bike helmet! Let's go!"

I love being uninsulated from the real world, from nature in a city. The real world where it can be hot or cold or wet or windy. No artificial ingredients added. We, as a culture, work so hard to maintain a constant pleasurable temperature no matter the season. In the winter, blast the heat, and in the summer crank up the air conditioning. What if we just tried to live with it? What if we learned to like it?