People walk for various reasons, and some walk without any particular reason—like Tom Hanks in the movie “Forest Gump,” who walked and ran from coast to coast without a clear purpose. Since I joined the Army at the tender age of 16 for pre-commissioning training at NDA, Khadagwasla, India, I have been walking and running as part of the military routine until around the age of 50, when my senior position reduced the walking considerably. However, I compensated for it by taking up golf.
In 2003, at the age of 53, a health issue forced me back into regular walking, and that routine has been continuous since then. I developed Angina Pectoris (Heart Pain) in September 2003, and although it could have led to further problems, I tried to cure myself through diet control and physical exercise like yoga and brisk walking. Initially, I had to take some medicine, but gradually I became better and withdrew from heart medications. Ordinarily I would had to get heart implants or bypass surgery later on for my heart condition but I have been able to avoid all these due to continuous walk and diet management. Since then, I have been walking every day. My routine begins with a morning walk of about 5 Kms, and throughout the day, I am on my feet, walking on the slightest pretext. I even go for local shopping entirely on foot. I generally click around 10 kms of walk a day.
In 2016, my daughter gifted me an Apple Watch that keeps track of physical parameters like walk, pulse, calories, etc. Recently, she replaced it with the latest generation Apple Watch, which calculates even more physical parameters like ECG and Oxygen level. According to the Apple Watch, in the last 8 years, I have walked around 24000 Kms. By this estimation, since 2003, I would have walked around 60000 Kms. I try not to skip my walk, rain or shine. During the rainy season, I walk with an umbrella or go to the basement of my housing society and except for emergencies and extreme weather, I have not skipped my walk.
During my morning walk, at times I am accompanied by my wife, who engages in small talks, to which I am a patient listener. Other times, I walk alone, communicating with myself, introspecting, and planning for the future. I’m also on the lookout for interesting photo compositions, keeping my smartphone ready for such occasions. These impromptu photographs later become part of my blog/Facebook posts.
When I play golf, I play alone and briskly walk between shots, capturing good compositions and snapshots.
In the last 20 years, wherever I have stayed, many people know me by my walk. Sometimes, they strike up a conversation and offer salutations. In fact the conversation with my fellow walkers gives me stories for my blogs. When I visit my son and daughter abroad (USA), I continue my walking routine there and often meet interesting characters along the walking circuit. Even during air travel, I walk in the airport terminal until I board the plane.
Sometimes, the walking circuit becomes monotonous, and at that point, I change the route or direction to bring in some novelty. I discover new walking routes, making the whole exercise fascinating.
My desire and wish are to keep walking as long as I can. In fact, I wish to walk away from this planet someday. A static life or being tied to a chair or bed is a horrible thought even to contemplate.
I pray to the Lord to grant all of us the potential and stamina to walk. May there be flow and sunshine in every person’s life.
I would like to end the blog with an excerpt from a famous Bollywood song:
“जीवन चलने का नाम, चलते रहो सुबह और शाम“
“Life implies a continuous walk, be it morning or evening.”
Guchi.
Improve Your Life 