Running and Walking

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.