Shooting stars

I'm beginning to realize how important it is for me to find something good in situations that aren't so pleasurable.
This isn't a new concept. But I need to remember it more.
Today I awoke at 4:10. Ok, I can handle that. I've done it quite a bit this season. In fact, if I get up after 5:00 it's considered a late morning.
I was out the door at 4:25. It was 24 degrees out. Woah. The first Real cold of the year. As the winter progresses, this will be rather mild. Not yet. It's still cold. I thougth I was dressed well . I had 2 think layers of underarmour and an underarmour jacket, tights, a headband, gloves, and a headlamp. No, the lamp doesn't keep me warm, but it is comforting on the pitch black country roads I travel on.
I began my 14 mile trek.
I wasn't into it.
I quickly fell into Loop Coma.
You see, my neighborhood has a very handy 1 mile loop. There are three or four street lights and my friendly neighbor's homes. It's great in the winter when I don't want to travel off into the woods in teh dark. I'm sorry. I'm tough but I have no desire to do that. I am afraid of shadows and noises and the idea of a scary guy behind a tree ready to make me into a headline. Enough of that! So I stick to my loop.
Today, it was horriflyingly boring. dreadful. Painful. (see previous post) I didn't even have the urge to listen to my music. I ditched it by a stump with my water and headlamp. As my eyes grew comfortable in the dark even that thing bothered me on my head.
Around and around I went.
I was slow. I was stupified at how slow. I ran a solid 30-40 seconds slower on these flat loops than normal.
Want to hear the good part?? I saw 3 Shooting stars!!!! How cool! The night was crystal clear. There were stars Everywhere. I thought of my 9 year old and how amazed he would have been by the scene. He would have tipped over backwards looking up at the sky.
And then....I saw a MOOSE!! Right there in my neighborhood galloping down the neighbors lawn. Yes, I live in the woods folks.

While I was in my loop coma, not listening to motivating music, I heard siren after siren at ~5 a.m. I later learned that a home burned to the ground not far from here.
See...things aren't so bad.

Later, I headed to the pool. Thanks to my friend and former swim team buddy, Alina, I had a fresh new workout to try. I killed it. I felt awesome. I swam 100s faster than I have all year. But just as I was about to start another set, the pool filled with people there for a therapeutic swim. I messed up the schedule. I was out. I only got in about 3000 yards when the plan was for 4500. I was so bummed.
But as I dressed myself in a twit, I watched a very nice and patient woman trying to change a young boy in a wheelchair. I'm guessing he had Cerebral palsy. He could not speak.
Again, things aren't so bad. I have a damn good life and I vow to stop fussing over small insignificant issues like crappy loop comas and shortened swims.

Here's to shooting stars...