Half way

Not in the month – it’s the 26th November already. If I’m feeling confident, I could say I’m cruising my way to filling the box of delights, and putting the top on. But half way is all about the route to school pick up, and the point that reassures – in lots of ways.

The notion is, I walk to school pick up. Exercise for me, fresh air, clear the head, that kind of thing. Sometimes I set off on time, sometimes I don’t. So the first half of the walk is usually head down and motor. Obviously stop for reversing cars and large buses, but try and get some way into the walk, at speed.

So far, so many calories burned. (I can live in hope.) But then I reach the mid-way point on the walk. It’s half way through the (official) time it takes me to walk, and it’s usually the point I can bring out the tea flask, have a swig, check how I’m doing for time.

It helps that I do this at a point where I get a nice view of the Edinburgh skyline. Close to gardens with roses to sniff, in season. At a large road junction, so it feels half-way. And where I find I’m doing OK for time, I can ramp back the speed of walking for the next bit.

It’s not about glass half full vs. glass half empty. Sometimes, all you need to know is that you’re on track. You’re making progress. Just do the same again, and you’ll be there.

Back in the days of secondary school, one of my form tutors had a simple phrase he would utter when taking register for Wednesday afternoon. ‘Top of the hill.’ This meant that he had gone half way through the school week (ie Monday morning to Wednesday lunchtime), and it was all down hill from there.

I worked out today that half way on my walking route is also about half way through my waking day (from alarm clock through to lights out, that is. I don’t claim to be awake all the rest of the time necessarily.). So half way in more senses than one.

And in writing terms, half way may be enough. If I provide the route, if I suggest a pace, even offer a companion to walk beside…hopefully you’ll meet me at that point. And continue the journey yourself.