STOP!

While I started my run today in a perfectly fine mood, my head was swirling with too many thoughts to manage. Often, a run does just the trick to help me clear my head even if just for those miles. That mental break feels good! Today, though, it wasn't working, and I couldn't even put a cohesive sentence together in my head to untangle my brain when I looked down and saw this:

It seems to say, "Stop! Or, I'll say ... stop again!" (a favorite line
forever stuck in my brain from Robin Williams joking about what
unarmed police in England say when a crime is taking place)

I swear as soon as I saw this little hand, I heard that Robin Williams line in my head, and I decided to be done with my current line of unproductive brain power. The problems in my head I was trying to solve weren't even my problems to solve. (No wonder they wreaked havoc in there!) I was literally wasting my fresh-air time, and that's no good. So, I took the cue from my purple hand pal (even in my favorite color ... how is that not a sign?! Even if not, I say it is.), and I went on my way.

I enjoyed the return of these big fellas:

Had I brought Elly, we would have been here for quite some time
as they were very near the sidewalk this time! Poor puppy didn't
get to come today, though. Don't feel too sorry for her as I left her
curled up on the squishy couch!

Stop looking at me.

And, later, I was faked out by this:

From a bit of a distance, this was exciting. Then it turned out to
just be a bit of bling. Oh well.

Because I spent so much of my time distracted by BLEH in my head, I admit I was very pleased to pass the "Your Speed Is" sign and see it flash a 6. The run didn't feel that great (because I managed to not let it), so it was good to see that the physical side was still doing its job while my mental side took a vacation from the rational world. I don't hang my hat on numbers, but they are useful. I like the 6 mph because that's good for me.

I'm glad I figured out before the run was behind me that I could still salvage it for what I like: fresh air, thinking happy thoughts, hoping for pennies, working on not tripping on the sidewalk (wait, I don't really like that part) ... It's supposed to be a brain break, so I just needed to remind myself! (or have a random purple hand do that for me!)

I'm thankful to have found such peace in a run. If you'd told me three years ago that that would ever happen, I would have laughed hard. Out loud. At you. After I stopped gasping.

Here's to an untangled brain day for you, and I'll see you after the morning run!