Day 27: outdoors as a sensory experience.

Good morning Challengers. Today my very good friend Margaret shares how it ‘feels’ to be outdoors when we take the time to notice. 

I  am back from a 26 min 13 sec, 1.94 km walk. I had been inside all day, and just finished a 90 min phone call, my sense of space had shrunk to only me inside myself. I needed to walk and to walk I needed to be outside

It is interesting how much attention I gave this walk. I had to decide how many layers, what boots, which gloves, a hat or no hat? I am out the door, set my step counter, and now I have to decide which way to go, a destination or route? I knew I wanted to stay away from busy Saturday afternoon traffic.  I knew I needed space around me. Ah to the "big park" and back.
I am aware of what my body needs - active, upright, arms swinging motion. I notice there is a tone to my walk - purposeful, present, confident. I am here now - I am taking up space as I move through space. I notice the openness around me, the cleared sidewalks and roads, the clouds are softening, lightening up, revealing a soft blue sky.  
I feel the space in front of me, as I move into it. I see the slope of the road, where it starts to descend to a different grade. I see the bare trees reaching into the sky space. The willow trees are the tallest, at the same time as their yellow branches cascade to the ground.

My pace slows, at the half-way point, then picks up as I take the incline up to the street. I am still making decisions about my walk, is the path cleared over there, should I take the road or travel through the trodden, packed, lumpy snow path made by others? I am annoyed about having to climb and descend snowbanks, feeling anxious about cars, drivers who aren't looking.
I am home. I finished by kicking the ice clumped on the wheel guards of my car. One of my all time favourite winter things to do, kicking until the ice falls to the ground. 

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