San Francisco is the longest lasting love affair of my life. Her beauty inspires me anew each day and I am very thankful to be able to live here on the edge of the continent in what I feel is the heart of the world. ~Nicole ,sfheart.com

The last couple of weeks have been a bit nutty from me.  I think  it all started with my annual check -up ( I got a clean bill of health by the way) but as soon as it was over, I got sick.  I had a rash, a hacking cough, a fever….no it wasn’t “swine flu” although I had just taken a flight from Los Angeles to San Francisco where I was about the only person not returning from Spring Break in Mexico.  In the end I think it was just the winding down from all the stress of making sure that I was healthy for my check-up that my body just relaxed and broke down.  The stress had been hitting me hard and now it was just taking over my body in its weakened state.

Today, after two weeks, I felt like something came over me. I wasn’t sure.  My wife went in for her 5 month appt for her study and was given the approval for more medication to lessen some of the side effects.  A relief for her too I guess.  She still wants to revisit her physician and see if he can make a few more corrections.  These days, these decisions I leave to her.  She wants to remove me from the clinical aspects of our marriage.  In her view it is like my not telling her what hue of lipstick or what pair of shoes to wear.   We then proceeded to make summer plans and take care of the millions of little things that have been bothering us.  The Comcast cable issue, summer camps for kids, and all those little things we’ve been meaning to coordinate around the house, but just haven’t asked each other to help.

Then despite working late, skipping lunch, having a late dinner, and barely getting home in time to tuck my kids into bed, I had that burst of energy.  I still have been coughing and I just knew I  had to get out and run.  I needed to have a healing run.  In fact I had a major coughing fit just as I put on my shoes.  I was dreading this run.  While recuperating from this cold I joked with my wife that we really were getting old.  I now had more medications on my bathroom counter than I can remember ever having.  I joked with my wife that i need one of those daily pill boxes that my mom has.

It was a beautiful foggy night that San Francisco is so well known for.  The damp mist on my face was so refreshing.  I ran further than I had on any run this year and I set personal bests this year for the mile, 3k and 5k distances.  It was truly amazing that despite my sickened state that my body could perform so well.  It had to be that home-cooked weather. The damp streets from the fog, along with the blurry street lights created a dreamlike feel as I ran up and down the hills.  It felt so good and all my thoughts raced in and out of my head.  By the time I completed my circle back home I could have gone longer but it was already midnight.  I felt stronger at the end of the run that I did at the beginning.  My cough is suddenly gone and I don’t feel any shortness of breath.

It is amazing how much I needed this run.  Not just for the energy, but mostly for my mindset.  I think the San Francisco weather is like that comfort food for me.  It’s healing effects on this native son are like my fountain of youth!   I felt like Tony Bennett was singing to me as I glided through the streets, window shopping and gathering in the view of the fingers of fog as they reached under the Golden Gate Bridge and curled their way across the bay.  It was like a lullaby that your mom sings to you when you can’t sleep.  Sometimes it is the power of the soul to heal.  The power of the mind helps rejuvenate your passion and your spirit.  Those comfortable surroundings which lessen our worries are better than all the medicines that can be prescribed.

Speaking of sleep, I better get some.  Long day tomorrow.