The first mile is a liar. Your brain chatters away, listing everything you forgot to do, reminding you about the email you didn't send, wondering if you turned off the stove. Your body protests. Your knees feel creaky. Your breathing hasn't found its rhythm yet. You might be thinking about turning around. But somewhere around mile one, something shifts.

Winter has her own voice, and walking in it feels like choosing to listen, even when I would rather stay comfortable. Cold waits at the door, patient and unimpressed. Darkness lingers longer than I would like. My mind gets busy right away, offering thoughtful reasons to stay inside.

Movement catches my eye. Then another. Small birds move through the branches with quick purpose. Chickadees and sparrows, winter residents who know this hour well. I have birdseed in my pocket and offer it without expectation. One bird lands, then another.

Some days, I step outside filled with energy and curiosity. Other days, I drag my feet. But every walk teaches something. The tired days teach resilience. The restless days teach patience. When you walk through it all, you begin to understand that each season, internal and external, has something to offer.

When my mother died, the world tilted. Nothing looked the same. Not the sky. Not the light. Not the sound of morning. My body didn’t know what to do with the ache, so I did the only thing it remembered how to do. I walked.