...and so do people!
For the past week or so, I've found myself enwrapped with emotions. However, experience has taught me to embrace these moments and take them as they come. My emotions were evoked by the fact that I'm visiting one of my favourite cities, Leicester, that holds many things dear to me; yet I've not had the chance to roam and explore the streets as much as I normally do, due to inclement weather, and other reasons.
Still, I appreciate the different city vibe compared to the remote countryside lifestyle that I've become accustomed to; and from my kitchen window, I watch persons go about their daily lives, and smiling, I also watch the swans gathered, with the hopes that they will come to grace me with their elegance.
Despite being cold, as the sun peeks, I trod the pontoon where I'm moored at Castle Gardens Visitor Moorings, as there's beauty in the way the leaves fall. I've always enjoyed the warm colours of autumn, as the widespread presence of orange and yellow (my two favourite colours), make me feel happy.
Picking up leaves for fun, I observe the variations of colours and sizes, and I compared them to the mixed emotions that I felt.
One thing for sure, it doesn't matter the size of the leaves, they all fall. This made me think of things such as mortality, growing old, personal growth et cetera.
Summing up my thoughts on the inevitable, I realised that being on the boat has allowed me to see this loved city from a new perspective, and it made me realise that my memories of times spent in Leicester over the years have faded to a certain degree.
This made me question; if we change so much, what am I doing to help my mind to remain sharp to recall things and times of yesteryear?
It's fairly easy for us to acknowledge physical changes in appearance, and the way our bodies function, but do we also take the time to observe how different our brains and minds function too?
Everything changes!
Do you suffer moments of memory loss, even for a short while? How often do you encounter such?
I do care about my body's neurological functions, and if I'm honest, my long-term memory is way better than that of my short-term memory.
Acknowledging this, I try to engage in little things to help my brain function such as Sudoku, my favourite (I need to pick up a book from Wilkos), and writing helps me also; which is one of the things I like most about Hive, and I do keep an old fashioned diary too.
Nature is Amazing https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/millycf1976/48JcPXLKF5kzc94jPw7gNGAqcRRojZEJBVsMjSuaJa8dbbzRdXvTbYMPFbBBpCPGZF.jpg
and spending time outdoors is another great way for improving brain, neurological and cognitive functions. Being outside in nature definitely helps to lift my mood and gives me a positive outlook on the world and my life regardless of whatever I might be faced with, and it reduces my stress levels.
Nonetheless, with the changing of the seasons, it gets harder to find the motivation to go outside; but I will push myself. The seasons have advantages and disadvantages, as with everything in life. So I'll do everything in my power to keep a positive mindset throughout the coming months, and put things into perspective that this time too shall pass, and remain optimistic about Spring, where new leaves will form - new growth.
I do change, just like the seasons...
It will be interesting to know how different I feel about winter; this being my first one in eight years, plus my first one on the canals on a narrowboat. The best way to face it all is to be prepared and dressed for the season.
Will I still look at the swans with admiration? Maybe I'll be stationed long enough to watch a swan family grow, as they do change too. Did you know that the swan cygnets are grey during their adolescent years then change to white as they become adults? Will I appreciate sightings of barren icy fields, as I look out from my window? Or will I attach my snow cleats to my boots and diligently walk the muddy towpaths wrapped up like an eskimo?
It's going to be challenging, but I'll use this as a test to see just how much I've changed.
Already, I'm excited about it...for a change.
Thanks for stopping by, as I spill my thoughts here:)