While It Lasted

"Today is one of the last nice days we'll have," said Jan, my Stress Management teacher. So we took the class outside. She thought it would be nice to do this next section of meditation in some fresh air.
The orange leaves were falling everywhere. The sun was starting to make it's slow descent.
She had us all lay down in the grass, making sure that we had enough room to stretch out. "Today, we are going to do complete muscle relaxation," she announced. This just meant that we'd tense up different muscles and then let them relax.
We started with our legs, then butt, stomach, arms, back, neck.. slowly moving to different facial muscles. With each muscle group, I could feel my body slowly melting into the earth below me. The grass was tickling my arms. I could feel the warmth of the sun kissing the right side of my body. I could hear people laughing as they passed by on the sidewalks.. probably at us. But that was okay. I started to go into my own little world. Barely being able to hear what Jan was telling us to do.
Next thing I know, class is over. I stood up and grabbed my things and started to walk down the hill, feeling completely relaxed. I took a deep breath of the autumn air. Then my slick, hard plastic, zero tread shoe met this..

Down I go. Laid out by this stupid little electric box cover. Grass stain on my khakis, which I only wear probably three times a year. My whole body was so relaxed, dang it! .... Well, it was good while it lasted.