Having been born upon a warm speck of an island, Jeb’s ten years in Hawaii have exposed him little to temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. He’s seen snow twice in his lifetime and has never heard of an electric blanket (“You plug in a blanket? Why?”). His greatest exposure to any “real” winter has been limited to holidays in the climes of California.
So when a “cold” snap came through our island last night, cooling the air with some dramatic winds, we all feebly slipped on socks and shivered. The temperature gauge read about 63.
“Mom, it’s so cold in my room right now.”
“I know, it’s a little chilly tonight.”
“No, I mean it’s really cold. It’s cold like California.”
As in, I circumvented routine. Thought outside the box. Changed it up. Did something new.
I literally skipped instead of ran.
Like many ingenious breakthroughs, this was born of necessity and purely spontaneous. The impetus was faulty shoulder straps that continually slipped off my shoulders as I began my morning jog (note to self: Kmart sports bras are not meant to last three years). This annoyance seemed unavoidable even though I tried to stay mindful of my posture. Jogging just seems to encourage forward, rounding shoulders.
Still wanting more than a casual walk, I intuitively segued into a skip. My torso was more upright, my face more lifted to the world. Shoulder straps stayed in place. Physically more aligned, I also felt a buoyancy in my step which stemmed to the corners of my mouth, perking up a subtle smile. I liked this skipping business.
In all the fun, I checked myself. Yes, I was a forty-year old woman skipping down a gravel dirt road. Should someone see me, would I look ridiculous? I reminded myself I should be too old to care. I skipped on.
As I bounded down the lane in morning sunlight, the adult in me wondered about possible medical research done on the physical effects of skipping versus jogging. Is one better than the other? Have studies been done?
Sshhh my inner Skipper said. Forget the stats. This is your field study. You’re sweating and smiling. Just skip away.
The sound of tires on loose stone moved behind me in the distance. A car was approaching. I wondered if I should slow my canter and play it cool. I could wind down to a casual walk or move into a socially unquestioned jog.
Instead, I reasoned that the unabashed, devil-may-care path could equate to ultra-cool, and I opted to continue skipping. The car did not slow and passed uneventfully. I skipped on, bolstered in my boldness.
With each lilting hop, I reflected on cities around the world, their jogging centers filled with humans pounding pavement. Each of those persons was desiring a little extra oxygen, some kind of lift. Imagine if they all began to skip! What a vision!
Would there be more eye contact amongst them? Would smiles trump “no pain, no gain.” Running tracks could turn playful. Serious adults may find themselves having more fun in their daily exercise regimen. This could be revolutionary! The positive implications could be endless. Why, the lightness of skipping could possibly bring peace on earth!
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