We took a walk up and down the Peace Sanctuary hill this morning – four times in about 30 minutes – and, as usual, I was weary at the end. I discovered something interesting, however – that I could thoroughly enjoy climbing a hill slowly. Often I try to climb with my senior-citizen quickness (of which I have very little), but today I enjoyed striding along almost as slowly as my breath was coming and going. Breathe in, take one step; breathe out, take one step. Well, not quite that slowly, but I had a pleasant, peaceable pace that made the four climbs seem almost like inspiring meditations. My legs were moving, my heart was beating, my lungs were opening and closing, and something like tenderness seemed to be present in this usually toilsome walk.

Our chalkboard poem on this hot day . . .