The theory here is that walking allows the brain to focus on something it already knows how to do, which gives the rest of your mind free rein to wander. Which is all to say that if you are stuck in the middle of writing a book or trying to figure out your life, perhaps the best thing you can do is walk.
House Lessons: Renovating a Life by Erica Bauermeister
I like to walk…
…especially when frustrated or simply between tasks. I am not surprised that creative meandering springs from neuronal firings (see quote above).
The temperature has dropped to double digits, but the air retains the oppressive heat of the summer desert. I am not walking outdoors in this heat. Nor am I rising at 4 am to join my family and friends committed to their routine while avoiding the worst of the day. At one time a morning person, I have come to appreciate my late risings while retired. Late meaning 8 a.m.
I joined a few friends virtually to follow a Leslie Sansone Walk at Home video. Caveat: get out the towel; you will sweat. But that is not walking outside, rambling in nature, where the brain keeps the legs moving while allowing the mind to wander.
Although our current neighborhood…
…is similar to the community we left seven years ago, I find this one less satisfying for walking. It might be more a reflection of my life situation than the setting itself.
The neighborhoods of the north side of Chicago are made for walking, streets lined with trees and gardens, shops offering interesting products and enticing window displays. Surroundings definitely affect the mood of the walk.
It was close to two years…
…following hip replacement that I achieved a level of walking that allowed me to let my mind wander. A few months later, a torn meniscus aggravated by arthritis forced a partial knee replacement, throwing me back into a conscientious gait. Now, one year later, I can feel my body ready to wander in body and mind.
But it is hot!!!
My tolerance for the heat has diminished with age and retirement. When working in AC all day, a few hours of heat in the evening were bearable, relieved by a dip in the pool. The freedom to go out at any hour, although a benefit of retirement, accentuates the unforgiving temperatures, urging me to stay inside.
I want to walk…
…to meander and dream, to work off frustration and despair of daily news, to connect with the divine. I need to walk, to calm the restlessness of retirement.
