Go For a Walk

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by Judythe Morgan

Walking is a great, easy form of exercise. No additional athletic skill, no training, or special equipment required. Well, you do need a good pair of walking shoes, but then you need good shoes anyway.

I walk because I enjoy placing one foot in front of the other and taking in the sights around me.

I love the rush of wind in my hair and the gentle burn of the sun on my back. I even love the feel of snowflakes on my cheeks.
walking in snow
Of course, I also walk because my two four-legged children insist on breaks from long hours spent walled inside my office while I am tapping away at the keyboard totally absorbed in my story worlds.

I welcome the dog’s interruptions to get outside because I’ve discovered walking boosts my energy, my creativity, and my insight.

Going for a walk can be especially good if you are a writer. Here’s why…

• Walking is automatic. Your body and mind can relax. No thinking involved with the exception that you do need to make sure you don’t trip, walk off a cliff, or walk into something.

• Walking inspires reflection. Our relaxed brain can mull over alternative plots, new ideas, story lines, or end the search for the perfect phrases.

• Walking lets us see the world around us. Details we miss when we are in a car. Details we can incorporate into our writing. Details we can capture to bring a scene alive for our readers.

• Walking allows our five senses to experience what’s around us. The sound of a bird’s song, the breeze rustling the leaves, our boots crunching on the path. The scent of fresh cut grass. The feel of tree bark or color of a rabbit’s eyes. Sensations we can weave into our writing.

• Walking encourages meditation. Remember the chorus of the old hymn, In the Garden: He walks with me, and He talks with me. It’s amazing how His words and His Will can become clear on a walk.

Writer or not, I suggest you go for a walk. You’ll feel better physically and mentally when you do. I always do.

© Michael Chansley Photographymchansley@gmail.comwww.michaelchJudythe Morgan is the award-winning author of Claiming Annie’s Heart, The Pendant’s Promise, and a new series about the eight siblings of a small town preacher. An Army wife, one time Department of Army Civilian, antiques dealer, and schoolteacher, her years of international travel and her insatiable desire to see, do, and learn have provided a creative fountain overflowing with stories. You can find Judythe on her website, blog, on Facebook and Twitter.

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