Yesterday I took a walk. Walking is not something that I do very much anymore. When I was growing up, I walked all the time. At least to and from school every day from 3rd to 8th grade. Also to the library and the rec center. I very rarely had a ride anywhere and I imagine that I walked at least 3 miles every day for most of my childhood. In college I walked a lot as well. Back and forth across campus, sometimes 3 or 4 times in a day. It just wasn't worth it to drive, mostly because if I had a parking spot, I didn't want to move my car. Since I've been done with school I have noticed a serious decrease in the amount of walking I do. There is no reason to walk- it takes longer and most of the places that I go to now are not within reasonable walking distance.
I've never been a person that does anything- walking, running, driving- just to do it. I like to have a destination. The idea of "let's just go for a drive" is completeley foriegn to me. Why would I want to do that? I want to GO SOMEWHERE. But yesterday, I felt the need to walk. I have been feeling rather lethargic lately, spending most of my free time locked away in my room watching TV, movies and playing mindless games on my computer. I don't actually like myself like this, I feel like I am antisocial and boring and bored. So I decided to walk.
I had a book to pick up from the library and since I don't like walking aimlessly, this seemed like a good destination. I have walked this route before- the approxomately one mile to the Decker Branch of the Denver Public Library- but it has been years, choosing lately to make the trip by car, usually on my way home from somewhere.
Walking through the neighborhood that I spent my childhood walking through brought me back in time. I passed the Presbertirain Church that we had Girl Scout meetings in. There used to be a playground next to it, now there is a community garden full of flowers and ripe squash. I pass by houses that used to be occupied by my friends. I don't know the people that live there now. The nieghborhood is beautiful. Unlike many of the other neighborhoods nearby, there are not too many scrape off McMansions or unsightly add-ons. Most of the neighborhood is still well kept Victorians and cute bungaloos. The weather is perfect for walking. Sunny, but not too hot. Most of the trees are just starting to change color and the yellows and oranges are spectacular.
I think I'm going to try walking more. I'll start with going for destinations and see how that goes. I may even learn to walk just to walk.
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I completely identify with your feelings about destination-less walking or running. I, too, need some purpose for my exercise, beyond the fitness itself. The worst is treadmill; I refuse to get up early and go to the gym in order to behave like a damn gerbil. Back in my fighting days, I was often heard to say, "I don't spend all this time training to run from shit."
I won't run unless there is a ball involved. I won't walk unless it is to get somewhere. I hated downhill skiing for the same reason - I got back to the bottom and said to myself, "This is where I started!"
If you figure out how to make it interesting just for the sake of itself, let me know...
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