Why Walking?

One foot in front of the other, one step at a time... But why walking? If I wanted to shorten this journey and perhaps even make it more valuable for the physical journey, why not jog or run instead of walk?

As a society, we are too impatient. We want instant results, fast action, no waiting - but what we get isn't necessarily the best option. To take this journey faster...

• Physically: Running or jogging is harder on the knees and more jarring to the body, which can result in greater injuries. On uncertain terrain, a faster pace is more dangerous, which could limit just where my journey takes me, no matter how quickly I get there.
• Mentally: A faster pace requires greater attention to one's route and footing, leaving less mental stamina for study, whether I am bringing along a book, magazine, or audio material to enjoy along the way.
• Spiritually: Getting this journey over faster may completely negate the spiritual travels, as a faster completion is less time for the introspection necessary for healing, assimilating new thoughts, and coming to terms with wounds that will never disappear.

I just like walking, and you never know what interesting places you will explore with each step. Furthermore, there are many ways to walk, and I'm sure I'll do them all sometime in this 1,000 miles; striding, traipsing, or hiking when the energy is high and the mood is positive, ambling and rambling on pleasant but more contemplative days, pacing, patrolling, or treading in anger, and shuffling on days when the stiffness or injuries mount up.

I have always enjoyed walking; from a mile-eating hike along a well-trodden path to a casual stroll around the neighborhood. By incorporating walking into my daily life now in such a highly visible, accountable way, I hope to rediscover that enjoyment and build a pattern of behavior that will last far beyond the counted miles. I could workout at the gym, schedule a personal trainer, attend exercise classes, or do other things to take the same physical journey - ignoring that they would not provide the same mental or spiritual benefits - but would I really keep up with those temporary habits once my goals were met? History says not. While I may be counting to 1,000 miles in the next year, with walking, I hope this journey will never be complete.

Always another walk to go on.