On December 19^th I wrote that I had accepted a challenge for people to get outside for 30 minutes everyday for 101 days.  In that post I said that I can walk about two miles in 30 minutes, and so I challenged myself to do that, and to reach 400 walking miles for the entire year of 2021.  I’m happy to say that I did reach my 400-mile goal, before December 31^st, and just today I’ve reached the goal of walking for 101 consecutive days, 2+ miles per day.

When I started the 101 days it was November 24, 2021 and we still had golden leaves on the ground, there was green lawns, and the sidewalks and paths were clear.  Within ten days the temperatures had dropped and there was snow on the ground.  Our winter continued into 2022, and today there is still snow covering the ground.  But I have enjoyed so many experiences on my walks.  I have walked during a light snowfall when the world seems magical and beautiful and the lights inside the houses are warm and glowing.  I’ve trudged through an overnight snowfall of almost five inches with the wind instantly blowing and drifting the snow over my footprints.  I’ve seen deer and I’ve heard wolves. I’ve listened to woodpeckers drilling and I’ve seen sparrows huddled in the brush trying to keep warm.  I have been out on sun-warmed days when everyone was smiling and so happy for any bit of warmth, and I’ve bundled myself up in multiple layers to protect from the wind and the cold.  I’ve watched the moon rise and the sun too.

I haven’t decided yet if I will continue to walk every day; I have already logged 143 miles this year. I’m sure I will walk for at least awhile as I know that being outside in nature is a balm to me amidst all the uncertainties and worries of today, tomorrow, and the future.