Walking Through Seasons: Finding Calm and Connection in Physical Activity

I’m not one for exercising or physical activities in general. If I could choose I would be Jabba the Hutt but my doctor opposes the idea and apparently, doctors have some sort of fancy degree to back up what they say.

If I do any physical exercises it’s walking. I enjoy going on walks especially if I’m stressed out. I find them to be calming. The downside to living in Wisconsin is that you can only walk about two months of the year. The winters are too cold and dangerous and the summers are too hot and in my case, dangerous. I have heat intolerance issues. If I get overheated, I have a tendency to get sick and pass out.

For these reasons, I really only enjoy walking in the spring and fall when the weather is mild and dry. The dry part is tricky to work out during these seasons. I know what many of you are saying, why don’t you just go to a gym or buy a treadmill? I don’t think one should have to pay for walking, just like I think walking is the default and I don’t think the cities should be made for vehicles. Don’t get me started on that. Plus, it’s one of the only ways that I enjoy nature. I like to watch the scenery change as I journey down the sidewalk. There’s something about that that gets my mind off of whatever is troubling me.