I woke up this morning, looked over at my best friend of 53 years, life partner for nearly 49, and said to myself, “thank you Lord for granting my wish, one more day with her.” A Diamond Rio song ‘One More Day’ says it exactly right. You can see the lyrics below.

Then I begin my new normal routine: slip on the workout clothes, gulp my morning meds, lace up my hiking shoes, set my phone to workout mode, and head out the door for my 2.2 mile walk around the lake.

It begins with a stroll down my cul-de-sac to the main street, then a block of downhill sidewalk, then a left turn for the first half mile through a deep hardwood forest full of life. I’m thankful for trees, all of the forest floor flora and fauna, the creek that flows lazily alongside the trail, the crunch of my shoes on the decomposed granite path, the chatter of birds and chipping of chipmunks and squirrels.

Then I round the turn onto the lake path and walk for a third of a mile with a farm field bursting with young starts on my left, and the lake edge with all its trees and rushes on the right. I’m thankful for new life, family farms, muskrats playing in the water, turtles along the shore, and other walkers saying, “good morning” (and keeping their distance on the other side of the path).

Swinging across the north end of the lake takes me past the splash pad, playground, pavilion, and fishing dock of Maplewood Park. I’m thankful for young families playing in the water (and the peacefulness when they’re not, like now), folks dropping a line in from the dock, and an elderly couple talking quietly on a bench beside the trail.

Now I’m headed south along the path which separates the street from the lake. I’m thankful for the fish jumping for their morning meal, the redwing blackbird that perches on the rushes five feet from my shoulder and quietly watches me as I pass, and the other one with a family that often divebombs me when I’m wearing my black and red ball cap instead of the light colored Tilley I’m wearing today.

With a mile and a half gone I cross the south end, round the turn back onto the forest path, push through the uphill stretch of sidewalk outside the neighborhood, and cool down on the last few hundred feet of level road home. I think about what a blessing it is to be here with my family who care for me, and my friends who nurture and warm my heart. If this is the new normal for me, that’s fine with me. If walking, writing, occasionally visiting new places, getting to live with my family all year long, and waking up beside my best friend every day is my new normal, that’s fine with me.

Thank You, for giving me just one more day … Pops

One More Day

Diamond Rio

Last night I had a crazy dream
A wish was granted just for me
It could be for anything
I didn’t ask for money
Or a mansion in Malibu
I simply wished for one more day with you!

One more day, one more time
One more sunset, maybe I’d be satisfied
But then again, I know what it would do
Leave me wishing still for one more day with you
One more day

First thing I’d do is pray for time to crawl
I’d unplug the telephone and keep the t.v off
I’d hold you every second
Say a million I love you’s
That’s what I’d do with one more day with you

One more day, one more time
One more sunset maybe I’d be satisfied
But then again I know what it would do
Leave me wishing still for one more day with you

One more day, one more time
One more sunset maybe I’d be satisfied
But then again I know what it would do
Leave me wishing still for one more day
Leave me wishing still for one more day
Leave me wishing still for one more day with you.

Source: www.lyricfind.com
Songwriters: Jamie Jones / John Keller / Jason R. Pennock / Gary St. Clair
One More Day lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc, Royalty Network