This Morning in Salem

These are just a few of the things I observed early this morning in Salem, not necessarily in this order.

Me running.
Empty nip bottles.
Lost signs for a kitty.
Dogs walking owners.
A Brazil flag flying at half-mast.
A Red Sox flag flying at half-mast.
Seagulls emptying out full trash cans.
The sun rising a little later than the day before.
Dueling exercise groups on the Salem Common.
A zig-zaggedy squirrel taking forever to cross the street.
Clusters of leaves and branches, evidence of this week’s wild storms.
Customized license plates revealing the personalities of mystery owners.
Commuters funneling out of side streets around town into the train station.
The Salem Public Library, making me nostalgic for the many years I visited daily.
Bittersweet so aggressive I feared moving too slow or it would ensnare me.
A beautiful peachy purple sunrise that made it worth getting up this early.
The soft, rhythmic sound of kayak oars cutting through the still water.
Like minded fitness folks running around this great little City.
My nana’s house on Collins Cove Beach, still unchanged.
Preparations for the Seafood Festival down the Willows.
Two cardinals diving, dipping and dancing in the air.
A rooster walking up someone’s front stairs (?).
Lots of spitting (oops, sorry, that was me).
One random sneaker, in good condition.
People watering flowers.
Freshly paved streets.
Secret cemeteries.
Good Morning.
Good Run.

Go Take a Walk!

I’m a runner, not a walker.

When I do walk, I walk fast, very fast. And I walk loud, very loud. Stomping along purposefully with places to go and things to do, constantly scanning the ground in front of me for potholes, uneven bricks and other accidental booby traps waiting to twist my ankle.

But that all changed when I moved to the heart of downtown Salem where I am walking distance to pretty much everything. And just as you see more of a community running than driving, you see even more walking. And the slower you go, the more you see.

So I took a walk, or more like an amble. Not to do an errand. Not a speed walk for exercise. A walk for the sake of taking a walk, strolling along as I considered the words to the Beatles song there are places I remember all my life, though some have changed.

Here is just some of what I saw.

Kids playing. Dogs walking. Fitness Walking. Outdoor fitness classes. Teens playing hoop. A large group of hula hoopers. A gold hoop earring someone is missing.

The Friendship at the Wharf. Tourists taking photos of the Friendship. Friends having coffee.

Cars circling for parking spots. Cars being ticketed. Cars parking at the garage. A painting on the parking garage. Painted electrical boxes. A man boxing shadows on the common.

Outdoor seating. Outdoor dining. Outdoor music. Haunted music. Hawkers.

A wedding, man and women. Another wedding, woman and woman.

Long time businesses thriving. Long time businesses out of business. New shops. Lots of shoppers.

Foreign visitors. Foreign languages. Out of state license plates. Stately homes. Multiple Nathaniel Hawthorne homes. Haunted houses trying to steal my soul. Preachers trying to save my soul.

Young love, old love. This city I love.

Tourists asking directions. Drivers not using directionals. Walkers not looking as they wander along in the street. Brakes slamming. Lots of swearing.

Trees changing colors. Trees I climbed. Trees that hung innocent victims.

Places I was bullied. Places I was happy.  Memories that made me happy. Memories I wish I could forget. Reminders of things I had totally forgotten about.

Trolley tours. Walking tours. Walking slowly to try to listen to tours.

Cemeteries. Injustice. Sadness. Innocent people who were not witches. Real people trying to be witches.

Kids in costumes. Grown-ups in costumes. Grown-ups who are not really grown up.

A breathtaking sunset as darkness falls over the “witch” city.

The train arriving in Salem with its cargo of zombies. So many zombies.

Maybe running is a better idea after all.

Because I Run

I feel young.

I eat dessert. 

I have super low blood pressure.

I can withstand the pressures of work.

I’ve seen gorgeous sunrises and peaceful sunsets.

I know where the official and ‘unofficial’ dog parks are.

I’ll probably live a bunch more years than I may even want to.

I know which day trash picks up in every neighborhood in Salem.

I can process my thoughts on death and dying and validate living.

I immediately know which new music I need to add to my running playlist.

I know every pothole that should be filled and every sidewalk that needs to be fixed.

I don’t have to worry if I’ll still fit into my clothes when I change the closet over for the season.

I realize the houses that don’t shovel are often the same ones that don’t cut their grass.

I know every new business that opens in Salem, and the ones that sadly leave.

I know which side streets speed traps should be posted on.

I can imitate the bird calls on the Salem/Marblehead trail.

I know which outdoor eating areas still welcome dogs.

I can tell when tourist season in Salem is full-on.

I know I’ll be glad I started once I finally finish. 

I can lift things up that weigh more than me.

My legs look 20 years younger than my face.

I know what it’s like to set a challenging goal.

I know how good it feels to achieve it.

I know what bombs sound like.

I know how healing feels.

I feel  strong.

I feel alive.

Because I run.