Every day, I walk. I wake up early and watch the sky become light. Most days I bundle up in warm clothes, always wishing for warmer weather, yet accepting whatever temperature the day has awoken with. As I accept the weather outside, I accept whatever temperature is inside me.
As I walk on quiet streets, I see. I see birds hoping about on the ground, or up in the sky, wings catching wind; soaring. I see turkeys, feathers spread wide in beauty as they court the females around them. I’ve come across deer grazing, and sometimes, if I am really lucky a beaver swimming the perimeter of his domain. I see all this and more, as the day awakes, as I awake, I see.
I hear. I hear the sing song of birds. I hear the wind; soft at times and harsh at other times. I hear the motors of cars and trucks, passing me by. I hear the scurrying of squirrels and chipmunks and whatever other critters are moving away from me. I hear the cries of warnings from animals as I come close to. I hear the jiggling of dog collars. I hear my voice at times, as I repeat a mantra out loud, bringing me to focus on the presence. As I hear, I awaken.
I feel. I feel the sun on my skin on sunny days. I feel the wind, as it moves cold air about me, awakening me further. I feel the ground under my feet. I feel my legs, as they wake with the first hill. I feel my breath, as it expands my lungs, cold air filling me. I feel my thoughts, my dreams, my fears, my to-dos, my emotions as they pass through my mind. As I walk, I feel, one step at a time, I wake.
I connect. I connect with nature around me, surrendering to all its beauty in all its various forms. I smile, I wave, I greet others as we pass each other in our morning moments. Strangers moving along the same paths. I connect as I walk, not knowing the ripples of my smile on others, yet connecting with the joy of having smiled. As I walk, I am awakened, and I connect.
I walk with the intention of being. I walk with intention of seeing. I walk with the intention of grounding, of feeling, and to hear, to hear my heartbeat and the earths too. I walk to welcome each day, in whatever way I awake, in whatever way the world awakes; I accept. I walk, finding inner peace, solace, and space that fills my cup and allows me to help fill others. I walk because in the act of doing so I awaken my connection to myself. I walk and with each step I love my body, my mind, and connect more with my soul. I walk.
-Anonymous, New Hampshire
