Keep Stepping

 

When Covid shut everything down, I started going to the research park at Farrow and Parklane more often to get my steps in. 

I would pull into a visitor's space outside of South University's main building and do a mile or two, walking around the campus and through the parking lots of neighboring companies -- most of which were ghost towns. 

I hadn't been over there in a while, so yesterday I decided to restart that routine. I like the campus -- it's quiet and, even now, is usually not busy with foot or vehicular traffic. The geese who feed and nest there are pretty docile.

When I returned to my car, the security guard came out of the building and called me.

"Excuse me, sir. The dean wanted me to tell you the next time you want to stroll could you park in the big lots over there (pointing behind me) or over there (pointing behind him). The dean says you parking here is kind of odd since this is visitor parking." 

I smiled, thought for a minute, fought the Wiggins tendency to launch into a discussion about definitions and said, "And that would be alright?"

"Yes, sir," he said. "That would be alright."

"OK. Thank you for your courtesy," I said. 

He nodded, thanked me and turned to leave.

I congratulated myself on the "self-check" and thought as I pulled away what's truly "odd" is how often I feel the urge to defend a hill that is not worth the time or attention.

Life is too short. Keep stepping.