Connie's Rules of the Road

     My rules of the road are not about driving, the state is not interested in my input, my rules are about walking.  I do not walk to exercise my body, I go to Curves for that, I walk to rest my mind and refresh my spirit.  It is not a good idea to rest your mind if you are dodging traffic, but I am privileged to live on a quiet street.  These are my rules:

1.  Never take a paved road when you can take a dirt road.  The small muscle movements when walking on a gravel road are good for your legs and sense of balance. The view is good for your soul.

2.  Never walk by houses when you can walk by trees.  See above.

3.  Take your cell phone.  Handy for emergencies, dandy for pictures.  DO NOT use it to make calls.  There are plenty of public places in which to be rude.  If you must reach out and touch someone--text.

4.  Take a dog, preferably your own, although in our neighborhood, neighborly dogs often offer to accompany me.  I actually prefer the dog over my husband (as a walking companion) because the dog doesn't talk to me when I'm trying to talk, and listen, to God.  Stupid dogs are best.  Their lack of pattern recognition makes  every walk a new and exciting experience.  Dog enthusiasm germs easily transmit to humans.

5.  If you can't find a dog, take a child although, for legal reasons, they should be related or have some reason to be with you.  Children haven't been around long enough to have pattern recognition so everything is new and exciting.  Quiet time may have to be sacrificed, but seeing the mundane through the eyes of children restores our minds in another way.

6.  Wear good, comfortable shoes, but not so good that you don't want to get them muddy.  See rule #7.

7.  Except for dry seasons, all the best places are accessible only through mud.  Mud is a small price to pay for adventure.

8.  Don't wear headphones.  There is enough noise in modern life. It distracts from noticing your surroundings, which is a waste in God's scenery and dangerous in man's.  Even listening to gospel music is less uplifting than listening to God.

 9.  Darkness falls and so can you / those who rise and walk before the crack of dawn are likely to fall and crack their head (or some other bone).  The outdoors is not going anywhere and is best viewed during daylight hours.  If you walk in town, darkness is more dangerous because the cars can't see you.  If you walk where I do, darkness is more dangerous because predators can.  Although mysterious animal sounds make for a good aerobic workout, they remove the restful aspect of the walk.

10  If there is time, take a different route home.  Turns a walk into a 2 for 1 special.

    Most of these rules would not apply to people who run for exercise, those people need all the distractions they can get and, in my opinion, mental help.  If you ever see me running, you should run too because it would mean I am being chased by a predator.  Busy lives give us plenty of opportunities to do but few opportunities to be, especially to be with God.  You can't take a higher road than that.