Sometime in the early 80’s I discovered the joy of walking. I began a regimen of daily walks that were usually about 4-6 miles. When we moved to the San Luis Valley in 1986 we lived on an acreage west of town. We soon found a four—mile walk from our home to the Rio Grande River that took us and our amazing dog Smiley there and back. For every mile I did Smiley would run two. I logged the walks on a monthly basis figuring I walked about 80 miles a month on that route, through all four seasons. That’s about 900+ miles a year. So on that route alone, I logged over 10,000 miles in those 11 years.
Our move to Capitol Hill in 1997 shifted the walks from the Chicos of the high desert to Cheeseman Park and its stunning urban views. That walk was about three miles but it took me by the Botanical Gardens and Victorian architecture with no equal. Again, I logged walks on a monthly basis and between that and many many walks to the center of Denver, I easily put in another 1000 miles a year for 18 years. So just in those loops I figured I put in 25,000 miles (the circumference of our Earth). There were so many things that nourished my spirit. When you walk nearly every day you have the privilege of watching the seasons change incrementally. You are not an observer from behind a windshield but rather, you are part of the life you are walking in the midst of.
Today I had the joy of picking up my daughter Amy and her ‘almost brand new’ husband Scott, who were returning from their honeymoon in Spain. They walked 130 miles of the Camino in nine days. From the bits they shared, the walk exceeded anything they had imagined—even the blisters. It was a mind, body and spirit journey and a very special beginning to their marriage. We talked about how walking connects. They now have an expanding list of other treks they want to walk in.
This past week, I logged in over 8000 steps using my rollator on one night. Mind you, the destination of the Monday Night Bronco game with the Bengals was the motivator. We won 28-3. In my fan superstition I know I helped them win. I have to confess that for the next two days my legs said, “What were you thinking”?
Yesterday my great grandson Zealan, turned one. I hear he is walking around furniture but has yet to take that first step. According to Google, the average human takes 216,262,540 steps in our lifetime. Today I give thanks for every one.
Onward and Upward,
Mark
Lyfting Me Up 