Let's walk

Naked woman Walking from Corridor - Edward Hooper

What does walking do to you, me, and everyone?

Left hand forward, right leg back. Right hand forward, left leg back.

A simple rhythm — shared by all people, across class, creed, gender, and nationality.

Walking brings the body back into rhythm.

Isn’t that beautiful?

This rhythm must have  developed  over centuries to make body in balance.

When we turn from chimpanzee to homosapeins,

did we learn to make our body in balance from day one? 

Probably not.

Walking is ancient.

Our ancestors crossed continents on foot thousands of years ago.

In recent memory, migrant workers walked back from cities to their villages during Covid.

During Partition too, people walked across India and Pakistan from their native land.

As everyone talks differently, every one writes, thinks and creates differently.

In the same way every one walks differently. 

One has spring in his legs, another one walks with limp, 

and another one puts  toes and fingers first

and  some one puts first  heel.

One can guess the mood and personality of a walker from his or her walk.

Walking clears the muddy waters in my head.

Morning, afternoon, evening, night — each time the world greets me differently.

When I walk, I meet, touch, and feel the world at 24 frames per second.

Sometimes, when the landscape is too beautiful, I pause.

I take a breath.

My frame rate slows down— 12 frames, 1 frame, depending on the frame of my mind.

Walking is revolutionary.

Gandhi walked to the sea during the Dandi March and broke the law.

Vinoba

walked through villages in the Bhoodan movement,

meeting every villager and awakening their souls.

Walking is also art and healing.

Artist Marina Abramović and Ulay walked from opposite ends of the Great Wall of China —

90 days, 1500 km — only to meet in the middle and part forever.

Filmmaker Werner Herzog walked for three months from his hometown to Berlin,

hoping his friend on her deathbed would survive.

And she did.

Walking itself is a miracle and creates more miracles.

Walking is rhythm.

Walking is migration.

Walking is meditation.

Walking is resistance.

Walking is performance.

Walking is exercise.

Walking is ritual, art and healing.

Walking can be everything — or nothing at all.