Why We Walk: for Community, for Longevity, and for Peace

It was the most steps I’d walked in a day – it felt amazing!

On an unseasonably warm February day I walked 36,000 steps, which is around 18 miles. I walked across forest trails and paved multi-use paths, downtown, through campus, and at our Metro Parks, plus all my usual weekend wandering and puttering about. Even when vacationing through Europe, I’m not sure I’ve accomplished the same distance; it was the most I’ve walked in a day, since I started paying attention.

Why do I walk? I walk for peace, for community, and for physical and mental longevity!

Walking for Peace:

The Walk for Peace is a meditative 2,300-mile journey from Texas to Washington, DC, full of heart and the spirit of the dedicated Buddhist monks who made the trek over several months. Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakra led the way, with a sweet companion – a stray dog named Aloka – who had joined the monks on an earlier walk in India, trading the hardships of street life for the love, kindness, and compassion of the monks. (Wikipedia)

The walking meditation took place over 109 days, in diverse wintery weather conditions. Followers could monitor their route on a regularly updated map that was shared online. Followers who wanted to intercept the procession were able to pinpoint an appropriate place to do so. And they brought offerings, so many offerings.

The monks did not accept gifts of money, but followers were generous in offering flowers, food, and water – so much water, the head monk said at the end of the walk, full of gratitude for how much the public was looking out for them on their trek.

There were so many people who wanted to bow their head and hold out a solitary flower for the monks that they needed ‘handlers’. The monks would accept the token, bow their head in return, and continue on. When their hands were full, they were relieved of the many letters, fruits, flowers, and beads. Faithful volunteers walked alongside the group, looking out for them and taking care of them.

Walking along the road is highly visible and the most direct route to take, but there are hazards. As the walk progressed and more onlookers lined the road there was a more consistent and persistent need for a police escort. And the public officials not only provided that service – many bowed their heads to the monks, in a show of respect and reverence , and some offered a police badge that could be pinned to the fabric draped over the lead monk’s shoulder, as a show of support. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that there was an accident along the way that caused one monk to lose his leg.

“We are grateful to share that Bhante Dam Phommasan’s surgery to remove his leg has been successfully completed this morning,” a Walk for Peace representative said. “He is now resting comfortably under medical care and beginning the healing process. On behalf of the Walk For Peace community, we extend our deepest appreciation for your prayers, compassion, and support during this challenging time. Please continue to keep Bhante in your thoughts as he focuses on recovery.” (Houston Public Media)

By the end of the walk Bhante welcomed his fellow monks to Washington, DC with a smile. In interviews about the accident, I didn’t hear resentment in his tone of voice. Of course, the loss of a leg is tragic, but he continued to support the important mission of the walk and to be full of gratitude.

We had hoped desperately to see the monks first-hand, but other priorities presented obstacles to our intercepting their route.

It was a delight to find out that there would be a locally supported grassroots Walk for Peace Columbus, OH. So, around dusk I joined a small group of like-minded citizens who wanted to show their support for a more peaceful, accepting, and generous world. We all bring our own backgrounds and philosophies to an event like this, but we were unified by a desire for living in and with peace.

Walking together, creating small moments to pause, breathe, and reflect – it’s powerful! The 6-mile walk had the effect of slowing my thoughts, giving me a meaningful and symbolic destination (the Ohio statehouse, downtown), and demonstrating that there’s good in the world. I’ll carry that realization with me for a long time.

Walk organizers brought along candles for those who wanted to signal their desire to walk in silent meditation. They entered a moment of quiet reflection, reflection, prayer, and connection to the larger cause of the walk.

Others chatted along the route, meeting new friends or reuniting with familiar companions. We chatted about the city, our travels, and our personal interests. I had the fortune to meet a couple of fellow writers who support each other in a community that regularly shares their work with one another, offering constructive critique, heartfelt praise, and encouragement.

One couple brought their dog along – the shih tzu pup made it a mile or two on its tiny legs, then needing to be carried in Dad’s backpack. The puppy settled into the family’s walking rhythm, and we chuckled to see her level of comfort, being offered a cuddle blanket and water breaks along the way. She might have had the best view of the city, and the freedom to take it all in, as we entered downtown Columbus.

“Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara is also in the process of writing the official book for this recent Walk for Peace journey across the United States of America. Throughout the 109-day journey, he dedicated time every day to keep a detailed journal, capturing the heart and spirit of every mile traveled. He will use the details from this personal journal to complete the book, ensuring it is an authentic reflection of the experiences, lessons, and peace shared along the 2,300-mile path.” (Walk for Peace – Facebook)

Wait – have I failed to tell you more about the monks’ companion dog, Aloka?

Oh, goodness! That could be another blog post, but I’d have to ‘borrow’ all the photos from the internet because I haven’t met their steadfast walking companion personally. I’ll just link to Aloka the Peace Dog’s Facebook page, so you can see his sweet face, grasp the magnitude of his online following, and learn for yourself how much love a small furry creature can evoke.

The monks’ Buddhist message was amplified by those who were drawn to Aloka’s story. And what an ambassador of peace, walking at the front of the line of monks, as dogs do, leading the way. All he knew was love, and that’s fine. That’s what the walk was about, in its entirety.

At the end of their Walk for Peace the monks offered a meditation hosted in Washington, DC that was broadcast globally via a livestream option that I joined. I was relieved to close my eyes and meditate with the monks and so many others joining from around the world. A sweet elderly neighbor had suffered a medical emergency that night. There was nothing I could do to assist the family or impact the outcome of her journey. So I meditated.

I could breathe deeply, realize the fragility of humanity, and acknowledge the need for more friendship, peace, and love in our world. Rest in Peace, Shirley.

Walking for Community:

So often we walk to build community. Moving our bodies together, making a ritual of meeting in parks around the city, a community is born. Friends come into and out of our lives – COVID amplified that – and that’s natural. But time spent walking together (or riding, or painting, or volunteering, or talking about books) builds bonds and creates community.

On just about any Monday night, you’ll find me logging off my computer on time, changing into seasonally appropriate clothing, and joining a small band of dedicated walkers. We are the Counterclockwise Crew, meeting for ½ the year promptly at 5:30 pm at Antrim Lake, walking in a 1-mile counterclockwise loop. If that seems oddly restrictive, consider the simplicity of it, which I love!

If someone arrives late, they can walk in the opposite direction and easily meet up with the group. They make a quick pivot and continue with the rest of the crew. Walkers can choose to walk one loop, or two, or three, peeling off when they like. Some make a habit of setting their own pace – I did this temporarily, before my hip replacement surgery, when I needed the solitude of walking in the opposite direction, knowing my friends were nearby. We passed each other with a wave and a smile, on every loop.

We do walk all year, but the park is too dark and secluded in the evenings, so we alternate starting at each other’s homes.

There are also seasonal walking surges! On any given Saturday or Sunday in December, January, and February we were joined by some combination of our Columbus friends to participate in organized walks. The Friends of Metro Parks supports the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks’ Winter Hike Series.

Our circle of friend (old and new) comes together in community to walk under gray skies and in dazzling sunshine, during intense pop-up rain and gentle snowfall, on mud, gravel, ice, paved multi-use trails, in loops, up hills, down hills, out and back, with the effort needed to coordinate a group of 10 or on a solo hike, running into familiar faces along the way.

If we missed one of the scheduled outings, that’s okay. Hikes could be made up at any park, at any time. In years past a park ranger stamped a physical card that documented the completion of a hike. That’s still an available option, but this year a digital option was offered. I was skeptical, but the ease of ‘checking in’ on my phone and earning my digital hike badge was appealing.

I’ve lost many hike cards over the years, but my phone is always with me. The GPS on the phone would let Friends of Metro Parks know that I was at the park. . . as long remembered to check in while I was there. The app allowed me to override my location if I checked in later that day, giving my word that I’d been at the park. I decided to ‘go green’ and document each hike with a photo of the park, sometimes including myself and my companions. There was the evidence.

And who would lie about being in a park? It’s one of my favorite places to be.

I’ve written about the Metro Parks Winter Hike Series before, since it’s become a yearly tradition. I don’t usually drop links in the middle of a blog post, but here you go – do come back, or just stick around for now, to continue reading about why I walk for longevity.

Here’s a few more fun photos to recap this year’s hikes, before I shift to my third reason for walking – for longevity. The physical and mental health benefits are astounding!

Walking for Longevity:

I feel better after a walk. Whether it’s a short jaunt around the block or a day made up of 35,000 steps, I’m stronger, breathe easier, and feel more energized by walking outside.

An unimproved trail, with steep rugged terrain? Yes, take me there! Ill go for the full 3 miles or half a mile. As long as I am able, I’ll walk in the mud, on slippery ice or crunchy snow. I realize that one day I may not be able to do these things, so I’m going to challenge myself again and again to do as much as I physically can. It will make me stronger, allowing me to hike another day. I don’t want to live forever, but I aim to have my days on this earth be as fulfilling as possible.

Longevity is not just a physical concept; it’s also about our mental health, which we can work to improve – or at least maintain. The mental health benefits of being in nature are undisputed – the positive effects stem from being surrounded by natural things, seeing vibrant colors, breathing fresh air into our lungs, feeling the sun or wind or rain, and exposing ourselves to challenges that are not entirely under our control.

I’ve already mentioned the strong sense of community that we can build around a walking practice, which supports mental health. Walking is also good for one-on-one relationships. Walking with my husband is also one of my favorite things to do, when we’re not on our bicycles. We’re fortunate enough to have access to trails that we can walk to from our home in Sharon Township, OH. It’s just 2 blocks to the river, which is forever changing – with the seasons, the weather, and even the time of day. I can’t think of any weather conditions that we have not going for a walk around Tremont Gardens.

One of our favorite things to do on our walks, besides holding hands, is photograph the world around us. While one of us is pointing a camera at a bald eagle’s nest the other is capturing images of the spring flowers just breaking through the leaves at our feet. I’m fascinated with the textures of the bark on the trees surrounding us and he has a GoPro in hand to capture footage of the Hooded Mergansers floating on the water, not your usual Mallards or Geese, which there are plenty of as well.

And the neighborhood deer – I think they are so accustomed to having their portrait made that they pose for us!

Just knowing that there’s such splendor right outside our door, as well as in the Metro Park system, lifts our spirits. We’re delighted to visit waterfalls tucked away in city parks. There’s magic, a bit of wonder and awe, in visiting the same place in different seasons. There’s evidence of nature sometimes taking better care of itself than we do of ourselves. It perseveres in spite of us. We go into the woods to renew our sense that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves.

Take a look at these images, at the light shining through the trees or hidden behind thick clouds, trying to break through. Both are beautiful! It might require a longer walk to quiet my mind enough to notice these things. So I take a longer walk when I can.

I’ll be transparent – sometimes my walks are disrupted by the nature around me, but I’m better for it. Especially when my camera is in my hands, I look around for color or texture, growth or decay, living things I’ve never seen before or manmade things I find discarded in the woods. And I photograph them.

You’ve certainly noticed that this is a photo-heavy blog. That’s because my love of images is matched only by my love of words. As an adult I’ve learned that moving my body can be just as rewarding as reading a book. Letting my body rest can be as rewarding as allowing my mind to run wild with imagination that shows itself on the page or the canvas or the keyboard. I realize, on an intellectual level, that my longevity required all these things.

Rest is hard for me, so when nature slows me down to examine a bit of lichen — well, that’s how I rest.

I take the time to look.

I look even more closely to find out what else I might discover.

So, I walk for longevity. I walk for Community. I walk for Peace.

On a side note. . . .

Walking for Laughs: I have a quirky sidebar tale to tell you about walking for laughs, with a trash panda at my side. Here’s a sneak peek. When I’ve published that blog I’ll link it here!