There is a day in early spring where it is impossible not to get out of the car and walk.

I think you know what I mean. It’s that first day after a long cold spell where the sun shines brighter, the air smells of thaw and, while there is still snow on the ground, you hear the joyous telltale sound of water gurgling towards the drains.

Such days make it feel good to be alive. They are a major reason why one willingly lives in Kitchener, Toronto, Minneapolis or even colder climes.

But, of course, there is a downside to this equation. When the temperature drops, the sky goes grey, and you bear the knowledge that months more of this and worse stuff is to come, it becomes hard to drag yourself out of bed, much less into clothes and off to work or school.

And as someone who owns a car, but who has resolved to walk his daughter to school and take transit more, this is a particularly challenging time. I’ve always believed that a car should be a luxury of life, not a necessity, and while I’ve found Grand River Transit to offer good service these past few weeks, the days are increasingly becoming ones where the car in the driveway looks tempting indeed.

Now that winter is almost here, I need to dress my kids warmly, and I need to allow more time for this preparation. Which means getting up earlier. And unfortunately, the sun doesn’t help in this regard, itself getting up late and making my body cry “why are you doing this to me?” when I try to move. At the same time, the time the school bell rings doesn’t change, and I know I mustn’t make my eldest late.

So, I’m sad to report that I’ve used my car a lot more than I would have liked these past few weeks, and there’s not much that Grand River Transit can do about that.

Even with shelters, online schedules and the iXpress, the fact remains that I still have to walk my child about a kilometre in order to get her to school, and no convenient bus service exists connecting points A to B. It’s either the car or on foot.

As for carsharing, the nearest Grand River CarShare vehicle from my house is actually quite close to my eldest daughter’s school, which offers some intriguing possibilities for travel to point C, but doesn’t address the points A to B problem.

So what am I to do about this? For some, it’s a matter of willpower — the same willpower required to keep one going to the fitness club week after week. You know it’s good for your body and for your longevity, but it still feels like such a chore. True tenacity is working through this barrier, and carrying on regardless. New Years’ resolutions help, as do Lenten vows, but I need some of that tenacity now.

So, there’s nothing for it but to get off my backside and resolve, here and now, that one day this week, I will walk my daughter to school, through rain or snow or blowing wind. Well, maybe not through all that, but certainly through cold. I’ll make sure she’s dressed warmly.

And I just need to remember that, in a season like this, even one day a week towards making myself fitter is a victory.

Wish me luck.

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James Bow is a writer and a father of two in Kitchener.
You can read more about him http://bowjamesbow.ca/
or follow him on Twitter @jamesbow