A Walk In The Woods

I have been doing quite a bit of walking with my wife lately. The walks usually involve walking through our neighborhood in the city. It has been a great time of bonding with my wife.

However, I must say, there is something different about walking through the woods alone. Near my workplace there is a beautiful park/nature preserve called Hofma Preserve and Hofma Park. It offers miles of trails and peacefulness.

During a recent lunch break, I made the decision to go for a walk instead of reading a book or listening to a podcast.

When I go for a walk I usually fire up the phone and listen to a podcast. This was not the day for that. It was a day to take in nature and the beauty of our world. It was amazing how much refreshment this walk brought to my day.

I could not think of a more perfect day for a walk in the woods. It was a crisp 47 degrees with a slight breeze. The smell of fall was in the air. The trees were bursting with colors. It was an absolutely gorgeous area to walk through.

The trail that I walked is one that I have run many times. There are gentle slopes, lots of turns and off-shoots, and, my favorite, a floating bridge. At the bridge, you can stop and look over Pottawattomi Bayou. The view is breath taking when you cross the water and the bridge bobs up and down.

As I was walking in the woods my mind was able to slow down and process the thoughts that had been racing through my mind. I was able to think about a book I had recently finished up, some issues at work, and what my next blog post would be about. For thirty minutes, there was nothing to focus on other than what I wanted to.

In our busy lives, we need to take a time out and relax, process our thoughts, and get our stuff together. Our bodies and mind were not created for constant stimuli. We were made to rest and relax at times.

Take a moment today to step outside. Take a nice deep breath and breath in the fresh air. If time permits, go for a walk or a run with no distractions.

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