Temptation

According to my temperature gage it is 102 degrees. I'm guessing that makes the "feels like" temp over 110!

So you would think that I didn't go for my walk today wouldn't you? Well, you'd be wrong. I don't know why but I did go and I did all four miles. More than that, I wasn't even the only lunatic out there. I'm happy to report though that everyone else (and there weren't that many) I saw was just as hot and sweaty as I was. Which if you've read any of my earlier posts you will know why that is important to me. Also, if you've read my other posts then you'll know why it felt so hot. The hint I'll give you is that, other than heat bugs, birds and cars, it was very quiet today. Do you remember what that means? You're right! It means there was NO wind. NONE, not even a little breeze.

I don't carry anything with me when I walk, not even water, because I figure if I do a good pace I'm back home in a little over an hour. However, I didn't count on being gone as long as I was today. Due to the heat I was not doing my 20 minutes per mile pace. I just figured I was doing good to keep going. When I was just reaching the 3 mile point I felt like I needed to just lay down in the grass and take a nap. If it wasn't for my irrational fear of bugs I might have done just that.

I cherished each time the path was shaded by a tree and began to dread each area with no shade. The sun was brutal. Oh yeah, did I mention there are no clouds today? So now I'm at 3.5 miles with half a mile to home and I realize I would do anything, pay any price, just for a drink of cool fresh clear water. I looked down at the creek which if you use a lot of imagination and hold your nose you could pretend it met those qualifications. Just as I'm thinking about how bad it would be to drink the creek water I see something on the path just down a little way.

As I stare at it, I wonder if I'm hallucinating from the heat. It looks like a bottle of something. It wasn't there when I passed this way before. One of bikers must have had it unknowingly fall off their bike. Hmmmmm...what could it be? Now close enough I can see it is a bottle of Gatorade that is half full, or is half empty? At this point in my delusional state it really doesn't matter.

Each step, now slower than ever, I took got me closer to this wonder. Since my pace was that of a tortoise I had plenty of time to think about the pros and cons of picking it up and drinking it. Now, if you are reading this and thinking that I'm crazier than you really thought I was consider where you are. Chances are you are not out in 102 degrees heat with the sun beating down on you and your tongue feeling like sandpaper. You might be in a comfortable house, apartment or office building thinking there is no way she is being tempted by that used bottle of Gatorade, possibly with some strangers backwash in it, that has been laying on the dirty path. Well, guess again because I was very tempted.

I stopped, briefly wondered if I had the energy to make my legs go again, and stared down at that bottle. I had to remind myself that I don't even like Gatorade. Not even a little. I had to tell myself that it was probably 102 degrees which is why someone threw it down. Eventually, the only beat to the temptation of drinking it was to walk away, leaving it there. I didn't even trust myself to pick it up and put in the next trash can I saw. After a few steps I thought about turning around and just looking at the orange nectar one more time but decided I was better off keeping my eyes on the path in front of me.

Temptation. It comes in unexpected places and at unexpected times. It comes in different ways for different people under different circumstances. There is no, one size fits all when it comes to temptation. Recognize yours and realize, the temptation isn't the sin, it is acting on it that is. Consider running from it every time it comes to get you. I did, I just didn't have the strength so I walked away from it instead.