While hiking yesterday through the moist woods, the sweet smell of wet, decaying forest detritus wafting up from my feet, the moist canopy of branches and leaves sheltering me from above, I realized what an indulgence it is to be able to hike.
To take an hour or more out of one's day to feel the exhilaration of being outdoors, the breeze tickling our cheeks, liberated of the expectations and demands of others, to walk where our curiosity leads, this is real luxury, this is the utmost in indulgence.
Walking makes us healthy. Walking makes us whole, connecting us with the seasons, the wildlife, our neighborhoods. Walking makes us happy with each step we take, our cares slip farther and farther behind.
Insist on carving out a luxuriant hour every day just for you: to walk, to meditate, to enjoy the sound of your breathing and the pulse of your blood pumping through your veins, to better understand the perfect miracle that you are.
