Do It Anyway

Do It Anyway

August 31, 2026  |  By Chris Noah

It was like walking through a sauna this morning at Crain's Run. The air was dead calm and soggy. I felt sorry for our furry dog, plodding along anyway, although with little enthusiasm. With seeming indifference to the conditions, the wing stem festooned our pathway, looking like yellow floral acrobats at a party. I admire their spirit, though I was not quite sharing it.

The message for today - do it anyway. Go for a walk. Let the mood be the mood. A bright, sunny cool morning will happen soon enough. Fall is upon us, just not happening the way we'd like. We have to accept this heat dome and let it pass.

As we walk I noticed that some aspect of my awareness was trying to up the experience and create a more ebullient mood. If it requires effort, probably in my best interests to stop. Not every moment in the woods has to be a superlative because it is the woods. Simply being present is enough. Tomorrow the woods will be in a different state, and so will I. For now, it is sufficient to be here, congruent on all levels and attuned to the woods. That is the essence of mindfulness.