As most of you know, I have been smitten by this Fitbit thing that makes me walk and exercise in order to meet a goal for the day. It starts over at midnight, and never ends. I have seen the city by moonlight and early sun. A by-product of the process is some weight loss, lower blood pressure, much lower resting heart rate, and a very pompous sense of self-satisfaction and good health. I got to witness my friend Mark do that vicariously when I was working. He is a runner and much more diligent than me, and will probably die from nothing at about 200 years of age unless Michele thumps him.
As I previously stated, I can’t wear head phones and listen to anything distracting while on my walk. Hearing the birds, traffic, coyotes, dogs and people in the process of starting their day is all the entertainment I can stand. Watching the grandeur of the sunrise is almost religious to me. I admit that Leonard Cohen sang some elegant songs, Neil Diamond and Jimmy Buffett are also great, but the cry of a Mississippi Kite leaving the nest, or a robin coaxing her kid to get back in the tree, or a gathering of sparrows and Purple Martins mixing it up as they start feeding is plenty to hear and see.
There are things that happen that I am sure everyone knows about, but have a very small visual presence. The world as we know it, in our little corner of it, changed this week. It is a rite of passage that impacts us all. The lights on the football fields across Kansas were lighted at 5:30 for the first time this year as the eager coaches and players start their rituals of workouts early in the morning when it is cool and safe. On a dime, the world changed when those lights came on.
I stood at the end of the field, and remembered the heroes from last year. Some of them are working out at the gym and weight room in preparation for college sports. Have you seen that little wheel device that you hold and roll forward while you assume a pushup position? You are supposed to pull it back under you to complete the process. I waited until those guys were gone and gave it a go – I might have a hernia and it will make you go blind for a little bit. It’s not for old guys. A few of the stars are playing college ball, and at least one of them has put on a shirt and tie and put his high school memorabilia in a box and migrated to the local bank before heading off to college. The new freshmen are so eager and small. We are all glad that they grow fast at this age and hope that nobody gets hurt.
It happened so fast — school was out, baseball and golf were going, swimming and fishing were pretty busy and lots of kids worked so hard during harvest — but the dime turned this week and it is amazing how focused we have all become on “the game.” The conversation is different at the barbershop and coffee klatches and gas stations. Vacation is over — let the games begin!
Doc

Doctor Dan Witt is a retired physician and nature enthusiast.