Today was a walking morning.
I've been making a sincere effort to run in the mornings, about 2 miles or so. I've actually gotten to the point that I don't mind do it too much, and my time is not terrible - not that I'm speedy about it or anything.
But this morning, when I got up, I felt like it was a walking morning.
Walking and running are different - and not just in speed. The biggest difference is in concentration. When I run, there is some sense of a goal - I'm either running towards the halfway point, or running back from it. I also focus on the actual process of running - after all, if I pitch forward when I run it has a much more deleterious effect on my body. Running is an activity which must be done in the moment.
Walking is more of a meditative activity. When I walk, I am able to think about other things when I am doing it - to contemplate, to ponder, to meditate. I move much slower, of course - but speed is hardly the point. I can also take the time to look at things around me in a way I can't when I'm running.
Yes, there's a goal in walking as well - I do have to make it back home - but there is no sense that I am trying to reach a point or go back. Instead, it's more of a large circle that I'm making, which will lead me back to where I started.
They're both different I suppose - one more focused on the body, one more focused on the mind, but both with crossovers. I'll never speed through a 5k walking all the time, but neither will I find parts of my mind and consciousness always focusing on the next step in front of me.
So I walked this morning with a happy heart and clean conscious. It's not about always doing one or the other - it's about finding the balance between the body and the soul.
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