What is it about the simple act of placing one foot in front of the other and propelling oneself forward that brings solace, a sense of peace and contentment?
Is it the act of walking or is it where one is walking that does so? Do the surroundings matter, is it the fresh air, a change of scenery or location? I don't know the answer however today I felt the need to walk and so I made it happen - I went walking at the beach and just walked and walked for hours. I'd not planned it that way but as soon as I began it just didn't seem appropriate to stop and the further I went the better I felt. There was no destination but I reached one nonetheless; a comfortable and peaceful place within myself.
I began at a spot called Largs Bay not too far from my house. It was a splendid day, sunny and 22° Celsius, and as I started out I knew I'd feel better for the walk I was about to take.
I'd planned a ninety minute round trip along the beach to a point, about face then back. Simple. My water bottle bumped annoyingly on my hip as I set out although a little adjustment to get it slung better around my shoulders and I was good to go; nothing was going to spoil my day. I hit the beach and walked.
And walked and walked...And walked.
About two hours later I arrived at the Grange jetty and, with no water left in my bottle had to hit the snack bar for a litre bottle of spring water.
I guzzled that almost completely as I sat by the jetty watching the world go by and simply enjoyed the moment. There were kids in the water today, a few adults too, although it was too cold for me. I had walked through the surf a little earlier and it didn't feel too bad but to get submersed? No it was far too cold and besides, there's these things called sharks in there.
I sat for a half hour watching the goings on around me then decided to head back. I bought another litre bottle of water, more expensive than fuel here in Australia, and headed back north along the beach.
I walked for eighteen kilometres all up today, Largs jetty to Grange jetty return. It was probably a little more actually as I had to exit the beach at some places and use the esplanade and a few side streets. It was probably too much as my feet started hurting about half way back. Walking bare foot on sand isn't the most comfortable thing for me I guess. I'll live though and the positives of the time spent walking far exceed the negatives which will fade away over time.
The big walk I did today was much needed I think. It placed me in a gap I guess, a place between places, emotionally.
I did some thinking, listened to music and just engaged with the world around me. It'll sound a bit stupid I guess but I could feel the Earth's energy seeping into me through my bare feet. The ocean's waters lapped around my legs, sand between my toes, sun on my face, shoulders and back, birds calling, the waves going back and forth...Yeah, it all sort of seeped in. I did some thinking and managed not to think also, something I'm not very good at. Time spent valuably? You bet!
I'm feeling relaxed now, a pleasant soreness in my legs and feet, but I'm showered and sitting on the couch with a book...Or will be when I'm done with this post. It's a good feeling after the big beach walk and to be quite honest I'm thinking about a similar day tomorrow...Something different though...Kayaking maybe. Yes, there's a plan.
I hope you folks are all having a great Sunday. I know it's likely that some are not and I'm sorry about that. I hope you might find the ability to take a walk, to get into nature, and find a little connection there. Feel free to comment below if you feel inclined. Maybe tell me how you like to relax; it might not be walks with nature like me but it doesn't matter. Drop me a line below and say hello, say a few words. Happy Sunday y'all.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
Discord: galenkp#9209
The image is mine - Semaphore Beach, South Australia
Beautiful beaches out that way.
Yep, some crackers down your way also though!
I want to enjoy my Sunday with rain, and finally the rain came after so long, finally the summer passed. Very blessed to listen to some songs that make me so calm. Have a nice weekend :)
Rain is no E after a long dry spell!
I hope you have a great Sunday and the week ahead is also good.
Hi😄
Before saying something about your blog or my Sunday, I feel the need to confess that I am not so fond of reading blogs of more than 200-250 words but if I see a post from you I read entirely. I don't know why exactly but I love the way you narrate things and I feel some sort of connection keep writing sir ♥️
The beach looks ecstatic and perhaps you needed that walk. I guess such things refuel us and fill us with enough energy to cope with what comes next. 18 kilometers is some really big walk though, you should have done it episodes to avoid the hurting of your feet.
I had developed this habit of going for a brisk walk for 30 minutes because my entire day was spent in library but since I am home these days so I am a bit laid back. Sundays are supposed to be spent like this 😁 Soothing ones 'elf. I do it mostly by sleeping or watching my favorite shows but I have spent my this sunday on Hive and it had been fun so far 😍♥️
I walk most days, hike in the scrub,but you're right 18kms is a fair piece and I should have done it in stages. I never actually intended to go that far though.
Thanks for reading my posts and I hope you manage to have a good Sunday.
I enjoying taking evening walks, with my headset on and playing music, it helps clear my head and help my think better, then be more productive.
I agree, it's a great way to think better, clear ones mind. What sort of music do you listen to?
Pop, R&B and hip hop music, what about you?
All sorts to be honest, well not hip hop or R&B, but pretty much anything else.
That's cool
Your trip was really great with perfect natural scenery... I want to share my weekend story in this great community.
Thanks for your comment and reading my post. Please feel free to use THE WEEKEND community. You can find the community rules on the landing page and feel free to take a look at the posting guide here:
https://peakd.com/hive-168869/@galenkp/the-weekend-community-a-posting-guide
Do you have room discord my brother
Nope.
Thank you my brother, I will post and tell a little about my activities on the weekend... Hopefully I can be well received in this community.
enjoying life is must in life
I agree, it's too short to waste right? How do you go about enjoying your own life?
Enjoy sir Happy weekend❤️🦋
Thank you, and you also.
Happy Sunday to you too, I will encourage you to at times try and walked bare footed and see the kind of feelings it can conveys, for me, I like walking bare footed and at each time I did it , is Joy all over.
Therefore, the way I like to relax is sitting close to beach, putting earphone on my ear and reading newspaper and at times if it a new place i have been to, after I might have finished reading, I will walk around a little bit and get to know the place.
Listening to music at the beach can be pretty relaxing indeed.
Yeah is true
Happy Sunday :) Yeah, I've noticed that too about being energized by being in physical contact with the Earth for extended periods of time. It also sort of makes being in a room / on furniture feel strange for a while, sometimes?
I think grounding is a thing, bare feet on the ground. Something to do with energy flow or some such thing.
Possibly. It makes sense, there are definitely energy fields all around us...
So water is expensive around there too. I think around here since they adjusted the prices of gas to stop the stupid culture of Government paying for everything, water has gotten expensive as well. Good thing to know you have this moments for yourself. Read like an interesting reset. The picture of the beach looks incredible. That golden hour set up was captured in its finest moment.
A 600ml bottle of spring water is about $3.50. A litre of fuel is $1.48 so yep, bottled water is expensive.
Wow, it surely is! More than double the price of fuel and not even the same quantity.
Nice. Always love walking on beach. Getting lots of walks last 2 days with the new puppy. 30 minutes in the rain last night waiting for her to poo so there were no landmines left in the house overnight. Got another nice mile in this am. I'm wondering if this is just a covert op on my wife's part to get me out of my office chair more. lol Either way will be healthy for me as well.
Haha, well I'd say your get you out of the chair thoughts are probably. close to the truth. Still, a walk isn't all bad.
Stunning photo Galen! I feel a true sense of gratitude and happiness from just looking at it.
I think the relaxing and re-energising feeling you get from walking in nature, and walking in general, has to do not only with the act of doing it, or the surroundings itself, but it's the mindfulness that you apply.
Mindful walking allows you to focus on the movement of your legs and feet (hands, shoulders, posture in general); the sensations and sounds of your feet on the surface (earth), and this helps you to focus only on that moment indeed. No distraction!
Try doing the same with someone jabbering in your ear, or you having a senseless, irrelevant conversation in general, and evaluate how you feel at the end of it.
If you like, I'd give you an exercise to do, and I'd like you to tell me the different feelings you observe, next time you go for a nature walk.
Sounds like homework.
🤣
🤣 no, "mind work" 🤣
I have such a small brain so it won't take too long.
Trust me, your brain is big enough...perfect actually.😁
On a serious note; next time you go walking, pay attention to the following:
...Feel free to do a karate kick while you're at it!🤣
I'll give it a go, but if I turn into a ninja I'm blaming you.
You might! Just remember, "once a ninja, always a ninja!"
You'll "thank" me later😆
Oooo that is quite a distance! Do you have any app telling you how many steps have you made? I have one and I always strive to reach that 10000 steps mark daily as it is supposedely recommended . It's cool that you managed to make time and be with your thoughts while also taking this long walk G., I am sure that you feel much better after this
Nah, I don't use those step things, just don't see the point. I self-motvate.
Stunning photo Galen! I feel a true sense of gratitude and happiness from just looking at it.
Thank you for saying so; it's nice to know it made you happy.
thank you for sharing, and I am very happy to see your blog
Oh dear. Now there you've gone and done it again. So precious. Sigh.
Oh no...I broke something again?
You are so precious.
Is that in New Zealand??? (lolol - I jest)
Let's see...how I like to relax? Well, when I was younger, it used to be playing piano. Now, with kids and dogs and a job and a hussle and a bustle, I think the relaxation comes from sitting at the laptop, writing, contemplating, chatting with friends, philosophizing. And reading posts like yours, actually. They relax me. Thanks for the relaxation this afternoon!
It sounds like you have a few ways of relaxing which is great. I also play my piano for a bit of relaxation although as a kid it always seemed a chore so I didn't really enjoy it. Later in life though it's a nice thing to do for an hour or so when I get the chance. You're welcome for the post. I'm a bit bemused what you see in them but happy they mean something.
I am bemused by the fact that you are bemused, and don't see it. How could you not see it?
Well, I know I can put a few words in line and make a certain amount of sense but more than that? I'm not so sure. I'm just a knucklehead who writes some stuff. It's good that people get some value though.
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STOPMy thoughts are walking in your footprints, such a peaceful, easy time with one foot in front of the other. There is something about getting out in nature, on the beach, in the woods or forest or even in the fields of the Civil War Battlefield.
It give my mind a chance to wander, rest and flow free from everyday goings on. The longer I walk, the more relaxed I feel until I suddenly realized just how far I have gone. I always feel refreshed and relaxed afterward.
If more people did this, we would have so much less stress in the world.
just let it gooooooo!
Yeah, there's something pretty good about wandering aimlessly or with a purpose right?
Happy Sunday! Walking is the best medicine as they say. I always enjoy it, even if I have to force myself to start. Now one day you might try a little metal detecting along that beach. I bet there are some gold rings just waiting for someone to find them!
I saw a couple of people detecting on the beach actually. I htink they do pretty well. For me? Well I've always wanted to get a metal detector as we have goldfields all over...Just hasn't happened yet.
"The soul that sees beauty may sometimes walk alone". Also the soul that seeks beauty 🙂
Indeed.
Walking barefoot uses the foot muscles very differently from walking with shoes on, and if you don't walk on sand that often that uses the muscles slightly differently again so no real surprise you were a bit sore even if the distance itself was probably easy for you XD
Beach walks are awesome, yay for getting what sounds like a great one in :D
Yeah, a lot sore is probably a better way to put it. I went kayaking today though, to rest the feet. Now my feet and shoulders are sore.
#smart
Sounds like time for a massage XD
Yes indeed. Any volunteers?
Would but you're not here XP
Yeah, I know you would. It's ok, I'm dealing with it and the soreness is a good soreness anyway I guess.