Michael: Happiness Runs

 She’s a pouty girl

Refusing to come inside

After a short walk.

 Thursday, July 30, 2020

"Happiness runs in a circle of motion. Floats like a little boat upon the sea.”, at least that’s how I remember part of the lyrics of an old Donovan song. A little throw away dittie on an album that has Mellow Yellow (maybe greatest hits?) on it. I’ll have to google that soon to see how the rest of it goes.

Come to think of it, there was also another; he must’ve been high at the time, bouncy tune called “I Love My Shirt” on that same album.

Now I’ll admit that I was running before that album came into existence and have been running ever since. And long ago in a much younger incarnation of myself, I probably even sang parts of those tunes while moving about. But rarely do I feel that bouncy or high while running. And I’ve never been much interested in finding out whether Donovan himself was a runner. Though I’m positive he experienced the high of smoking pot, something I can say I’ve never indulged in.

So is there a distinct runner’s high? Have I experienced it? And if not, why run?

Hell, I don’t know.

I watch my dog run after a squirrel of jog from gopher hole to gopher hole. She’s got a purpose and doesn’t seem to have any time to ponder why she’s running or whether she’s showing good form or should throw in a speed session once a week to become more economic or successful at it

Gophers and bunnies don’t work for me. And if there’s not the high, what is there?

Many things. I’m proficient at it. It helps keep me in shape and that feels good on a few different levels. It’s at least meditative many times if that counts as ‘the high’.

They say you can run but you can’t hide. But it does feel you can at least hide for the time you’re running, and that often seems to be enough; particularly now.