a friend sent me this article today and it resonated in so many ways. i’ve applied the old addage, “a journey of a thousand steps begins with the first” since about age 9 and quite enjoy the pleasure of putting my feet to the pavement (ground, sand, et al) and just going – regardless of destination. there is something cathartic about movement.
first i patted myself on the back for once again being in the company of genius, because some days you just need that boost. then i got to thinking deeper on the subject: walking equates itself to control and unlike a car, boat, train, airplane, etc… you have some control of this mode of transport; it is after all a basic vehicle to get you from point a to b, but it allows so much more the freedom to take yourself out of situations (or get into them) you can sightsee, blow off steam, take the long way home, smell the roses, when all other modes fail as long as your feet can carry you can walk. you practice the art of putting one foot in front of the other, moving forward, aware of your surroundings your brain it frees itself up to ponder, focus and think.
I have grown to enjoy my near daily lunch walks and today having read the article, i reminsced a little; i was reminded of graduate school (i had the best garage apartment not far from school and i walked to campus most days) after getting a bike i had declared that i was going to spend the week biking everywhere (it was a small enough town that one could) i remember being met with guffaws by one of the fellow graduate students and it frustrated me. She couldn’t understand giving up ones car in favor of other transport and i couldn’t understand hers. For me biking was twofold it was a physical challenge and something to try in order to jump start getting into shape, i could also add: lessening my carbon footprint, the shear fun of an experiment and to see how others who may not have the luxury of a car lived. I did it and discovered biking is not quite my thing; if i have to i can do it, but nothing takes the place of zoning out, untethered for a walk