Convergences
Lately, the weather around here has been getting nicer. It’s still a little chilly in the shade, but when the sun is out, it feels great. It’s warm enough to be comfortable but not so hot that you instantly overheat. It’s that perfect in-between weather where you can wear pants or shorts, a long-sleeve or a short-sleeve, and either choice feels just right. Days like these are some of my favorites.
With the nicer weather, I’ve been more motivated to take longer walks with my dog, Meatball. She loves getting outside, sniffing everything in sight, and trotting along happily. Our usual route is a three-mile loop that takes us through the neighborhood and past some open fields, but sometimes we stretch it out to four miles or cut it short to two, depending on how we’re feeling. It’s a nice routine and a chance to get some fresh air and reset.
Since the weather has been so nice, more people are outside. Some are walking their dogs or going for a jog, while others are working in their yards, raking leaves or trimming bushes. Even the roads feel busier with cars just casually cruising around, as if people are driving just to enjoy the day.
I should mention that most of the roads in my neighborhood don’t have sidewalks, so we have to walk along the edge of the road. This isn’t usually a big deal, but it does mean we have to be more aware of cars and our surroundings.
I’ve been noticing a weird pattern on our walks. Whenever we come up to a parked car that creates a choke point or reach an intersection, it seems like a car inevitably appears right at that moment, driving toward us just as we’re squeezing past. And it’s not like the road is busy the whole time. We can go minutes without seeing a single car, only for one to show up at the most inconvenient moment. It happens so often that I can’t help but notice.
Of course, we pass people and cars all the time, but something about these choke-point encounters stands out. It makes me wonder why they happen as frequently as they do. Is it just a coincidence? Or is the universe trying to tell me something? And if so, what?
Maybe I should start tracking this just to see if there’s an actual pattern. I could keep a tally of everyone we pass and note whether it happens in an open stretch or at a choke point. It might be interesting to see if my instincts are right or if it just feels more frequent than it actually is. Either way, right now, it definitely seems to happen way more often than I’d expect.