I’m never counting steps again. Here’s why:

On the way home, my bus broke down due to all of the snow that has been falling today. The driver didn’t know when another bus would come but he gave an hour to an hour and a half estimate. I’ve walked home from where the bus broke down before, but usually in Spring, Summer or Fall. Well, I said to myself, it’s all good! I can still do it! And! I can get my steps in!

I went to get off the bus and promptly lost my balance in a very large snowbank. I tried to get up and couldn’t. A woman behind me on the bus said “Are you okay?” Instead of saying “No, I’m not okay, I’m being an idiot trying to walk in the snow!” I said “I’m fine!”

Then I promptly lost my balance again. I couldn’t get up. The woman got out of the bus and pulled me up out of the snowbank. “Thank you very much.” I told her. She told me to be safe.

I walked onward. Well, let me tell you something: walking a route in Spring, Summer or Fall is a lot different then walking it in the Winter. It seemed to take forever and my legs started to spasm part way through the walk.

Now, if I’m anything (sparkly, fabulous, awesome are good suggestions), I’m stubborn. So, I told myself “I’m almost home, I’m almost home. Just a little bit further.” I had no other choice really. My husband was in meetings and I didn’t want to call a cab for such a short distance.

I made it home and my legs and body are in agony. I looked at my phone, as one does, to see how many steps I’d done, and it was almost 10,000. I had also walked 2.96 KM’s in 35 minutes. In comparison, five years ago in my first MS Walk, it had taken me just shy of an hour to walk 3KM and that was in Spring conditions without snow and ice on the ground.

While I’m proud of myself (I couldn’t have done that five years ago when I was diagnosed with my MS), I’m mad at myself. What I should have done was wait for a new bus to arrive, no matter how long it took. I was warm, I had my Kindle.

While it’s really cool that I walked almost 3 KM and almost 10,000 steps, was it worth it? What did I prove to myself, aside from the fact that I’m stubborn? In the end, it doesn’t matter how many steps I do during a day. It’s enough that I’m walking at all. I need to remember that and start being kinder to myself.  It was a hard way to learn a lesson.

Also, to the lady that helped me up when I had fallen in the snowbank, thank you for proving that kindness really does exist.