Transportation Practice 1

Walk or Bike Somewhere: There are so many places that we drive to that could easily be walked. One of the greatest sources of pollution in our world comes from the enormous amount of cars on the road. But this practice is not just about reducing pollution. I am lucky enough to live close to the place I work. From my house to the office is a little over half a mile. So, generally, on my lunch break, I walk to my house, eat, then walk back to work. There are, occasionally, days that I go into town to eat out. Those afternoons are almost always much more difficult for me to get motivated for, because during that 10 minute drive back to the office, something happens to my body. I guess it’s the food sitting there and me sitting there, and I just get tired. Whatever it is, I have a tough time waking up in the afternoons when I drive back from lunch. However, when I walk back from lunch I have much more energy and usually go right back into whatever project I’m working on. You also notice more when you walk. You see plants and animals around you that you’d just be lucky to glance at if you drove by. You have time to think and reflect. You see the place you are traveling in a different way and know it a little better. This has had a great spiritual effect on me. It helps me sort through things at the beginning and end of my days. It gives me time to reflect. It also gives me exercise. There are so many who join gyms to get the exercise they could get by simply walking to the places they have to go. This practice has so many potential benefits. Find a walk you can make instead of driving. If you don’t walk much, don’t push it—keep it below a mile. Take time to notice the things you don’t when you drive the route. Spend time in prayer, let the walk focus you.