I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude. – Henry David Thoreau
It occurred to me while I was walking in the Arb yesterday that I never see anyone walking by themselves. I see plenty of runners, people walking their dogs, couples, but no solitary slow walkers. I’m just waking up to this form of SOS but surely there are lots of others in town who’ve discovered it.
It also occurred to me that my life seems to go better when I take time to walk, that I need to think of it as important as taking my vitamins and exercising and flossing my teeth. It reminded me of Polly Berrien Berends saying that you needed to pray three times per day, just like eating. I’ve started taking a stroll along the Riverwalk in the morning while drinking my breakfast drink, about 9 am or so. And I’ve been asking Robbie to walk more in the evenings with me. Maybe when Robbie’s gone in the evening, I should ask Gilly to walk. In another week, though, I’ll be asking her to go biking, as she’ll have her recumbent. Still, walking slowly is different, so I best not think of biking as a substitute. Maybe I better do it a few times before her bike comes.