Breathing

We all know how to do it.  We don't think about it.  It's just a natural part of life.  Babies do it well, dogs do it rapidly, even turtles and invertebrates do it.  But sometimes things happen and it gets harder.  I used to be able to do so many things.  As a young girl, running was such a joy.  Walking around the PenMar mountain community was so easy. And later, camping and hiking in the mountains with my children was so easy.  It has become less easy.  Flat and level places are now the best for me.  The smallest incline means going slower.  Even the steps to the back door.  Yesterday I tried the Billy Goat Trail C.  Its small ups and downs were a revelation, not least because they were rocky and most uneven.  Is my life now contracting, shrinking as my body continues its very slow decline?  Was it only two weeks ago that I finished 5 days hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains?  What happened between then and yesterday?  Well, I will continue walking wherever I can.  It may take a little longer, but I will continue what I enjoy doing. For as long as I can continue.