Slowin' it Down

Well I did something special today. 

Today is rest day, which means I give my body a much needed chance to recharge and refuel.  Instead of going for a run or even squeezing in some tabata style HIIT, I went for a walk.

A motherfucking walk.

I’ve been running in my hood for going on a year.  While my feet pound pavement, I listen to hardcore rap and only look up when I feel like I need to.  This afternoon, I set out on my walk and turned on WGUC just in time for some waltzes by Brahms.  (While writing this, I had to do an image search for the B man.  He's kinda hot, right?)  

Immediately, I understood that the nourishment I might find from my contemplative walk would be much different than that to which I am accustomed.

Running is very much a yang energy. It’s aggressive, forceful, dominating.  And truth be told, running is hard, even for a semi-seasoned runner like myself.

Walking however, is a completely different activity.  So damn yin.  So thought provoking in an entirely new way.  I found myself noticing certain architectural attributes that I’ve likely run past countless times without bothering to really see.

So with classical in my ears and decision in my step, I began considering what it is that I actually see on a daily basis.  Likely, it’s just what I want to see, because that’s how this world is engineered.  Fuck, that’s how I’m engineered.  Forcing myself to slow down, to measure each step with precision and thought rather than trying to crush my last mile time offered me a new vision.  A new sight.  And a new way to feel nourished.