Long walks are great for a whole bunch of reasons. There are the obvious physical benefits of getting the body moving, particularly in an age when most technology encourages us to do the opposite. A simple walk can also help to clear our minds and relieve us of stress. Walking in nature permits us to reconnect with the real world; the fundamental environment upon which we depend.
Dad liked to walk. He had long, lanky legs and would take long, lanky strides. We bushwalked a lot with Dad when we were kids. Unable to keep up with him, he would disappear up the track in his sturdy brown shoes. We would follow along behind, eventually catching up with him as he photographed the view, a waterfall, or a patch of wildflowers. Dad loved the bush and shared his knowledge of the natural world with us.
Dad lived his last years with Alzheimer’s. Although his mind was fading, he remained physically active for several years as the disease took its course. He still enjoyed walking, and when I visited I would take him to bushland parks near home. As his condition progressed, Dad lost the ability to remember the past, or to consider the future. His world became the here and now. We would walk beside the river, and Dad would comment on the world around him. The natural environment would animate him and he would speak without prompt or question. Whilst my mind would be racing with thoughts and worries, he would chuckle and say ‘Look at him!’ and point out a plump kookaburra, or pause to examine a bundle of wattle seed pods.
An overactive, anxious mind has been a central feature of my midlife crisis. When I am walking, I sometimes let my mind wander, and often end up in recurring, stressful and exhausting thought patterns. At these times I try to remember the lesson Dad taught me during those last walks together. Remember to be in the moment, look around rather than within, and focus on the beauty, peace and wonder of the natural world.
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