9/18/24

Walking

Like me, Henry David Thoreau loved to take walks. In his essay "Walking," he wrote: "I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright." I too feel this when I spend time in nature. I can't always go on a hike in the wilderness, so walks throughout the week--in our woods, on a nearby, quiet country road, or even in a park while my son practices baseball with his team--become my time to reconnect with nature.

Walks in nature has long been one of my favorite forms of exercise. When in the company of loved ones, I often find myself in conversations of depth and authentic connection, perhaps inspired by the cadence of movement and fresh air that gets us into a shared flow, in the present moment.

When I walk alone, the experience sometimes becomes a form of moving meditation in that it helps me find stillness within. And when I find stillness within, I feel peace, I feel aligned, and I feel connected to God around and within. I feel a spiritual joy.

As Richard Rohr wrote, “Joy is almost entirely an inside job. Joy is not first determined by the object enjoyed as much as by the prepared eye of the enjoyer.”

Being in nature helps me reconnect with that inner joy, despite what might be going on in my life. It’s a return to that center within me, connecting to the light within. And this helps me then perceive everyday life and the world around me with different eyes, God’s eyes.

And then I feel immense humility, love, and gratitude…all from spending a little time in nature. Perhaps this is what Thoreau meant when he spoke of the subtle magnetism of nature directing us aright.