As I set off down the road, admiring how much more festive the decorated houses look in preparation for Christmas with a layer of frost and snow, I couldn't help but smile giddily and I may or may not have even skipped a few steps from excitement. The sun was shining softly, still low in the sky and just barely breaking over the horizon. Sparrows, magpies and little wee ones that remind me of chickadees fluttered about, chirping and tweeting, moving swiftly to stay warm and forage. The ground sparkled and the frozen leaves and last few flowers glittered. It was quiet, save for the birds and my crunching footsteps (and maybe a squeal or two from me - it was all just so beautiful! I could barely contain myself!).
My breath visible upon the air, I kept a brisk pace and settled into my thoughts. I enjoy this part of my morning walks so much - the solitude that comes with walking alone and having the space and fresh air to reflect and savour days past, as well as the days present. When I run, I have music, but when I walk, I need no distraction or extra noise - I like to keep it au naturel if you will (see what I did there?). It's incredibly refreshing and uplifting, and I find that I have some of my most 'eureka' moments when I'm on my walks. My eyes are open and searching the landscape around me, finding visual inspiration in every leaf, every flower, and every rustle of wind or scurry of animal. My ears tune in to the minutest of movements in the bushes, to the songs of the birds in the trees, to the rushing of water in a river nearby. My senses are heightened while out and about in Nature, yet my mind is at ease, completely relaxed and soaking up every delicious moment. This is perhaps why it is so easy to find a meditative state while walking, not just for me but for many, many others.
There are countless artists, authors, and other scholarly folk who have sworn by taking a daily jaunt to exercise not only the body but the mind. One of my most-loved and favourite 19th century poets/writers is William Wordsworth, who rejoiced in being out in Nature and found an incredible amount of inspiration from walking meditatively outdoors, not only for his poetry but for his peace of mind. He wrote often of Nature and the solace one could find while in it, and taking long, leisurely hikes around the countryside was to him his own form of religion. Charles Dickens is another, as well as Henry David Thoreau, and Ludwig van Beethoven. There are innumerable examples across all generations, including scientists and mathematicians as well, but the overall point is that we can benefit immensely from momentarily removing ourselves from our (increasingly) busy lives to take solace in a daily walkabout.
Walking clears the mind from all the clutter that clogs our brains throughout the day, bogging us down and eventually making us feel truly uninspired and listless. It opens the mind to what is happening around us in the immediate present, without distraction or outside demands calling to our attention. Walking brings us closer to ourselves in that we have the time to ponder over things that are going on in our lives, to reflect upon the day at present, and to dream up plans for the future. Unlike forceful exercise, the kind that we do as well to stay 'in shape' and healthy and which is also important for our bodies and minds, to me walking is something a little more indulgent - an act that we choose to do for the sake of the act itself, not because we are trying to get somewhere or trying to achieve a certain bodily aesthetic. Walking asks nothing of us except to be, as we are, with no expectations and no tangible outcome - except of course the peace of mind that one will naturally feel after a good, frosty-morning amble!
As I walked towards the park, I couldn't help but stop a zillion times to take photos of every frozen, sparkly thing I saw. There's just something about the way the frost curls itself around a solitary leaf or a cluster of wild berries that makes my heart sing and my eyes light up with child-like delight (honestly, I've been told that my excitement for a pretty flower or a sunset or a tree full of orange and golden leaves is comparable to that of an honest-to-goodness child on Christmas morning). Sometimes the beauty around me is just so overwhelming that I can't help but swoon and squeal and spend five minutes attempting to somehow capture with my camera exactly how I see it - whether it's so I can look back on the moment another day or because I just don't want to forget how beautiful that moment really was, I don't know exactly, but I always try to capture it. Much like an artist might sketch a scene they're witnessing or a musician might jot down a few words or notes when they come to them, I feel compelled deep in my bones to somehow honour the moment by taking a photo. It's all a part of the walking experience, and it all leads to the greater enjoyment of the world around me.
After my fingers were nearly frozen themselves, just about matching those frosty branches I was taking pictures of, I decided it was time to make my way back home - to cozy sweaters, warm woollen socks, tea, and my favourite books. With rosy cheeks and a sniffly nose, I felt refreshed, energized, and an easy calm. It may sound a little silly, but I feel like a lot of our smaller problems in life can be solved quite nicely by a good, long walk followed by a hot cuppa.
Here's to Winter, and to new beginnings!
After my fingers were nearly frozen themselves, just about matching those frosty branches I was taking pictures of, I decided it was time to make my way back home - to cozy sweaters, warm woollen socks, tea, and my favourite books. With rosy cheeks and a sniffly nose, I felt refreshed, energized, and an easy calm. It may sound a little silly, but I feel like a lot of our smaller problems in life can be solved quite nicely by a good, long walk followed by a hot cuppa.
Here's to Winter, and to new beginnings!
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