Travelin' Light

Sometimes, fighting your instincts can have its rewards. Yesterday I initiated myself into the Polar Bear Club with an underpants-only dip in the creek that runs through Whittington Park. I've been interested in the reported health benefits of bathing in very cold water for some time, but until yesterday I have been too squeamish to try it. But, on such a beautiful fall afternoon after several days of hard rain, who could resist? The creek was running quicker and deeper than it ever runs in the summer. All along the banks were piled great brown leaves, and in the creek they were stacked against the stones, soggy sheaves hastily filed by the swift current. "I know you can't resist, Milly," my friend said, reading my mind as I stared longingly into the water. "You're the person who always wants to go swimming, even when no one else wants to."

The deepest spot was by the bridge. My friend indulgently stood gaurd over me and my pile of discarded clothing while I climbed down the stone wall to the water's edge. I didn't stop to think, I just slipped in. My lungs constricted instantly, before I actually felt anything. I forced my body from its curled position in the shallows to the small pool where we had seen fish swimming. Making my muscles swim instead of using them to jump onto the shore was like moving them through a pool of refrigerated grits. Suddenly I was overcome by the most amazing sensation! My skin felt like it was being sprayed with snow, or rubbed with burning sand. My heart raced, fast and light as a hare in my breast. I felt lightheaded and giddy and delighted, like eating an oyster heaped with horseradish while snow skiing. In short, it was exhilarating. Unfortunately, I couldn't stay in very long. But the afterglow, the warm, calm, relaxed feeling I got while I struggled back into my clothes has inspired me to increase my stamina. Tonight, before I got out of the shower, I forced myself to stand in the jets with only the cold water turned on. The effect was nearly the same. It's the way you want to feel after a massage, but usually (in my experience) don't. I dare anyone to try it- they say it adds years to your life!