Walking

There’s something about walking. Unlike cycling or jogging, both of which seem too much like hard work to me and which require more skill, walking is a form of exercise I can do and actually enjoy.

Walking is an (almost) all-weather activity provided you have clothes to suit and comfortable footwear. Taking the plunge outdoors on a cold wintry day, telling yourself that in just a few minutes you will feel warm or slowing down to feel the sun and see the changing seasons around you. Setting a pace, not too fast, not too slow, finding a rhythm to match your mood as much as the path under your feet. It’s all part of the experience.

There’s time to look around you when you walk, to notice things you might otherwise miss. Walking, I’ve discovered, also allows space for me to download what’s in my head, deleting unnecessary rubbish along the way and re-filing things to keep for later. And sometimes, walking can simply be prayer to the God who is always just there, an offering of the joys and cares of the day one step at a time.