I was particularly grateful to be car-free yesterday. Our oldest came down with a virus on Friday evening after a fun and busy March Break week, and spent most of the weekend looking pale. Having been out of the house a lot during the week, some downtime at home was much needed and the rest of us were able to get caught up with spring yard work and cooking and homework projects.
By Sunday afternoon I realized that we needed a few groceries, and a short trip out on our bikes was just what was needed. Pre-teens who get sick often don't seem to know when they should let go of being an invalid (at least ours doesn't!), and booting them outside for a short spell of fresh air is always a good idea. He was decidedly gloomy as we climbed onto the bikes and held onto the gloom as we arrived at our destination, but by the time we exited the grocery store and were getting back on our bikes he was laughing and chatting and looking much more like himself. A brisk ride along the river before heading home perked him up even more.
I can't help but think that if we owned a car how easy it would have been to just slide into it and avoid that fresh air opportunity altogether. It makes me think of our grandparents who could say "when I was your age I walked four miles to school in all kinds of weather..." and while the tone with which those words were delivered could jar, the fact remains that I've always thought our elders were better off for that experience.
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