Thursday, February 15, 2007

commuting: walk therapy

With the arctic freeze that's been whistling through Chicago (and me) of late, it's hard to feel good about my 1/2 mile walk in the morning and evening.

But in all honesty, I do feel good about it.

Where before my commute was mostly car, now it's just the barest whisper of car, with equal parts train and walking.

The train gives me an opportunity to think without having to dodge the FIBs.

The walk gives me an opportunity to "not think". I see that element of my commute as "walk therapy", a chance to let the frustrations, joys, hurts or thrills of the day percolate themselves out of me one step at a time, so that when I sit down on the train I'm leveled off emotionally and ready to think without the disruptive haze of emotion.

It's also helped me lose weight, but that's another story.



It also lets you see things you miss when your only view of the world is through a windshield.

1 comment:

Roger L. Cauvin said...

A lot of people underestimate how aggravating driving is. Walking and taking public transportation is therapeutic for me, too.

You're in Chicago, eh? Have you tried Dadnab?