A Walk In The Park

A lot of people don't understand this, but I love taking walks. The part that is especially confusing to many people is that I don't have to have a destination in mind. There's just something about putting on my tennis shoes and stretching my legs. I almost never listen to music, I set out when I know I've got at least 20 minutes, and the goal is to take my time. I look for hills and I'll stop to chat if I see someone I know. If I'm anywhere for more than a day or two I start scouting out my "route".

When I was in high school I had a friend who taught me to give speed walking a rest and ever since then I've made it a point to walk slow sometimes. Walking slow is something that I have to force myself to do which means that the conscious effort to slow down is a benefit in and of itself. 

Today I bring you pictures from two walks through one of my favorite parks. One happened on a Monday at the tail end of 2015 and the other was on the second Saturday of 2016. 

On the Monday walk, the snow was fresh and the park was pretty much deserted. My brother and I saw a family playing on the big toy and a few people out with their dogs, but mostly there was a strange quiet that had taken over. We walked and stopped to take a few pictures and may have thrown a few snowballs. 

On  the Saturday walk, the place was mobbed with people. My sister and I checked out a new to us coffee shop because we're testing out everyone's chai teas. We pretty much literally ran into a woman walking "Hank Williams" (Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong were waiting at home). We may or may not have interrupted an internet date when we asked for someone to take a picture of us (Ansel Adams went all out, zooming in and out by walking towards and away from us and commenting on how he was making sure to get the sunset in because it was beautiful).

 

My brother and sister don't share my love for walking and I'm pretty sure they have no idea how much their occasional agreement to go along means to me...Whether they do or not, I do!


A walk in the park is something I always welcome. You never know what you'll witness.