I found a road to walk where there are almost no people. This suits my needs during these times, and I am grateful for the space to romp and exercise. 15 minutes up, 15 minutes back. It’s near a beach I came upon where there are also few people. As a writer, I am used to enjoying time alone, generally hungry for it, despite my sociable personality. Being outdoors and having the freedom to roam a good length, without worrying I will catch or spread a virus, has been soothing.
We never know where life is taking us. I had discovered a wonderful open place to walk before realizing this was better. Now I go here instead. I am someone who gets tricked by the assumption that whatever I am currently doing will remain a routine. And as much as I know things are always changing, or at least shifting, I am still surprised when it happens. The walking road is a perfect example. And I can tell you right now that as much as I am satisfied with this ritual, I am sure it will one day turn into something else. I certainly couldn’t have known I’d take a picture of it, post it and write about it!
Yesterday, when I walked, I snapped a slew of photos. My eyes were suddenly framing things in a way they hadn’t before. Both natural and unnatural items were catching my focus. A few can be found at the end of this post.
Mental trickery is something I spend a lot of time writing about. Inner messaging convinces us we know exactly where we are headed, even when things are unpredictable. Our brains strive to navigate our path, never accounting for the unexpected surprises that will pop up. This pretty much occurs throughout the day if one pays close attention. You thought you were about to cook something, then the phone rang. You opened the computer to do some work and noticed a bill needed paying. You went to water a plant when your alarm sounded reminding you of a dentist appointment. You were headed toward the bank, but the road was closed off due to an accident; you decided to cancel.
I didn’t know my bi-weekly foot-journey would turn into a photoshoot. It can be a surprise to witness what we end up doing. I appreciate the not-knowing of my future, even a half hour from now. It’s fun to watch what my body does throughout a day, despite what my thoughts are relaying. The detailed articulations of our bodily movements show us our actual actions, the real story of our life. We will like some of these but obviously not all. That is when it is important to remember that even what we see ourself doing now will move into something else because the body never stops moving, one way or another.
Will I photograph that road again? Who knows? Is it a sure thing I will walk that road again? Who knows? Will I continue to write blog posts or books? Who knows? There is a lot of shock factor right now; we have all recently had things change dramatically. We are in for a ride, but we always were. As comforting as it can be to assume a future, we may be better prepared adopting a mindset of not-knowing.
Jill Eng 