Three deep breaths

Any time I have spent the day inside and I find myself outside for a brief moment, I always take 3 Huge Breaths. All the way in and all the way out.  If I spent the morning cleaning and am running the garbage out, I make sure I take 3 deep breaths.  A quick trip to the drugstore for more migraine pills?  3 deep breaths.  Just out to water the plants?  Yup, 3 deep breaths.

I do this almost without thinking.  Just yesterday, I caught myself doing it.  Whats behind it?..

In Grade 6 I had a very unique teacher, Mr. Couglan.  He never failed anybody, said he always believed we gave our very best, because, whatever we gave in that moment was our best.  (did you follow that?)  He was king at Simon says.  King.  And!  He taught my dad when he was a kid and loved me for it.  (too bad for him  wasn't even close to athletic like dad)

Anyhow, if we seemed to be half asleep, or not giving out best, he'd make us get up and go out side, no matter how cold it was, and take 3 deep breaths.  His reasoning?  We were in classrooms all day, breathing in nothing but stale air.  He thought it did us good, to get rid of the old air and bring in new.  Hence, the 3 deep breaths.

Was there any real substance to this?  I have no idea.  But for whatever reason, Its stuck with me all these years later.  I'll likely teach it to Grace too.  The way I look at it?  It cant hurt and It might help!

He was one of my favorite teachers.  I liked his hippy style.  And he liked me, so that helped.  I don't remember too much from his class and actual lesson plans, but I remember that. And I probably always will..