377 Days - Blog #63 Walking and not just talking about it

My brain doesn’t want to function today.  I feel like that ancient tortoise from Neverending Story, just a little less cantankerous. 

But the reason for this fatigue is good.  A weekend well spent, doing things that I really ought to spend more time doing.  Namely, taking a walk.

I go through different fits in my life when walking is a regular routine of my day to day.  Then… usually… winter comes along… or I move to a different location… or I don’t know… I tell myself there isn’t time.  It’s too hot.  It’s too cold.  It’s too icy.  It’s too buggy.  All really clever excuses to not do something so simple… that I actually really like (and NEED on so many levels) to do.

But this weekend, putting the walking off to the side wasn’t an option.  Although, I was tempted…

The Worcester Writers Collaborative signed up to participate in a 5K this past Saturday.  We did it to support Children’s Friend, an amazing local non-profit that has generously given us space for write-ins this last summer.  We have a few runners in this group.  I once made a habit of running (although, I am not a competitive sort and prefer – when I do such things – to run for myself and not to beat a clock).  I opted to walk.  And I’m glad I did, as it is a circle that I could easily do on my lunch breaks, as we went right passed the Museum on our way.

It was a gorgeous September day.  And by gorgeous, I mean blue sky and leaves just starting to let the color spread across the tree limbs…and 80 degrees!  Though, in spite of that weather, it was a good walk.  I was grateful for the water along the way.  I was pleased we completed the circuit in under an hour.  I lingered a little bit to get my goodie bag and chat with the other WWC members before heading back home to finish up preparations for my Food on a Stick dinner party.

I did, however, wear the wrong socks.  Or I am so out of habit I used bad form.  Or something.  I ended up with two huge blisters on both feet.  I didn’t have the option of indulging them, as that party prep required me to vacuum and cook for most of the afternoon.  

Nor did I have that option Sunday morning.  I promised my aunt we would head into Boston at 9am.  We knew the weather was going to be another splendid September day.  So we maximized the opportunity to walk about outdoors.  Besides, our Russian guest was interested in the architecture and historic buildings of the city.  We walked to the Gardner.  We lingered at the Fens, going just close enough to Fenway Park so she could catch a glimpse of Boston sports fever, then walked back to the car.  We moved the car closer to the hotel.  We walked to Fanueil Hall (which I would typically avoid, but non-Bostonians think of it as very Boston).  More pictures.  Some dinner.  Then back through the Rose Kennedy Greenway along the water to the car.  A good deal of walking.  It balanced with the car time.  It made me forget the blisters and my lack of sleep until I got home and sat down for a large drink of water.

Both through the 5K and as we walked through Boston streets (I give them credit for patience with my reliance on intuition for direction.  I don’t believe in GPS, and would rather go a little out of my way and get minorly lost in order to figure out and remember how to find my way.), I realized how walking allows once to see a place.  Much better than driving through… or even running.  Of course, in a museum I would much rather lollygag than walk at a brisk pace… but even a good iambic rhythm lets one see the world up close.  It’s even better when you are with someone who is from out of town, who sees the things that have just faded to ordinary background.  I saw so many details in all the buildings of the financial district that I might else have ignored by watching the sidewalk… or being the traditional Bostonian avoiding eye contact.

I guess the lesson to come through the foggy conclusion of my fatigued brain (I blame the unexpected September sun baking as much as the walking) is that I should take more walks.  Not just for the very much important and very necessary fact of getting more exercise.  But because it will open my eyes to the world when so much of it seems to be through a computer screen.

I have no excuse not to.  If I’ve learned anything from writing a blog every day for the last two months, it’s that there is always an opportunity to find both time and will to do something.