For most people, walking has become just another mundane activity. There are faster ways to travel from point A to point B, and in our fast-paced lives, where time is money and no one has enough of either, walking has become obsolete, so to speak.
Don't get me wrong, people walk, but there's a difference between walking to work — or walking to the grocery store; or walking to the Apple store to get your iPhone fixed; or…you get the picture — and walking for the sake of walking.
I suppose the main difference is the attention one puts into the action. For example, if you're on your way to work, chances are you're half-asleep, or you're checking your emails on your Blackberry, and your pace is rushed and unnatural. The action itself is still beneficial to your health because you're moving. (although, I'm no doctor, so what do I know?) But I digress… The fact is that a lot of amazing things are happening around you which usually go unnoticed, or unappreciated if you're walking towards something, and that's the whole point behind my rambling.
I haven't always been pro-walking. Like most people, I'd prefer to drive, bike, run, or even take the bus to get to my destination. That's right, I said it, even the bus, unless it's a short distance, then I'm walking it. Realistically, despite this post, my position hasn't changed much. If I have to be somewhere, walking isn't my go-to method of transportation. But lately, maybe because it's summer and I don't have to wear 20 layers of clothing to go outside, I've developed an appreciation for lengthy-ish walks. Instead of fusing with the couch and waiting for that feeling of self-disgust after eating too much, I've decided to get into the habit of walking after dinner.
As a result, for the first time in my adult life, I actually feel as though I'm part of my surroundings instead of being a spectator, watching from a safe distance. It's a surreal feeling, and the simple act of walking has heightened my awareness of the beauty in simple and normally unimpressive things. Suddenly, things I've taken for granted are becoming more and more extraordinary. Things such as sunsets, flocks of birds, trees, and even the simple act of breathing have become mesmerizing.
Unfortunately, not everyone has the time, energy, or the ability to enjoy this seemingly basic, and universally forgotten human activity (and by universally, I mean in the Western world, of course). To those of you who are already in the know about the wonders of daily walking, I ask: why haven't you told us before? Or perhaps you have, but we were just too busy to listen. To those who don't believe, or are skeptical, I say: try it, you might be surprised.
In a world where we are constantly plugged in, sometimes it's refreshing and humbling to realize that there are beautiful things only a short walk away.
