On going for a walk

After dinner, frequently Tom and I will put the kids in a stroller or two and go for a walk in the country around here. We've worked out a route that has the least amount of traffic, friendliest dogs, loops around rather than goes there and back, and takes about a half hour. We walked it last night.

I noticed that I enjoyed the human scale pace of walking. If I lived pre-cars, this would be my main mode of transport. I'm sure my main social sphere would be my immediate neighbors. It makes moving more significant.

Sometimes we talk, sometimes we don't. Sometimes we see birds, or if we're late, bats. Most of the time the neighbor's friendly dog greets us. We notice the pomegranate tree and whether the fruit look good. We notice the nurseries and the orchards. We notice that there's still that sprinkler riser with an orange perched on it. How long will that be there? Sometimes the kids zone out. Sometimes they chatter. Sometimes they struggle to get out of the stroller. Sometimes they practically fall asleep.

I think it's good for everything--mind, body, soul, emotions, relationships, and digestion to walk. Elegant? Perhaps.