Do you want to see the world in a different way? I remember how we used to be, without the world upon our TV...

Hello all! 

I've just been escorted down South by my lovely cousin and her boyfriend (thanks so much; much nicer than the old smelly coaches!), it's about a 4 hour car journey. I love a road trip, good people and good music can make any length of journey bearable in my eyes. My mind always wanders to the other people on the road - what journey are they on, business or pleasure? Are they going to see friends or to an official meeting? When my cousin and I were younger we would play the 'Waving Game', attempting to engage as many strangers as possible in friendly contact. We're a little bit old for the game now but I still love looking at the variety of people on the open road and the various journeys they're making. 

My wonderful housemate showed me an article a little while ago and I keep reverting back to it - 'The Slow Death of Purposeless Walking.' The article explores why people aren't walking unless they have a reason to make the journey, a final destination and a purpose for pacing. Walking is quite a luxury, the article states, and we don't really need to do it so much what with all our cars, bikes, scooters, taxis, so on and so forth. Obviously I'm not suggesting that people start trying to walk from Leeds to London, that would be a horrendous journey! I do find it interesting however that when people are walking they become a  "smartphone map zombie" whereby occasional glances are snatched away from phones to avoid 'being hit by a car.' The article also explores how good walking can be for your soul (lets say 'wellbeing'  if you don't believe in the soul) and creativity. On days like today it's easy to hide from the rainy world but I don't think we should let the rain ruin our days - we have umbrellas and wellies galore in this western world; think how happy your plants are for the wet weather! Poets of the Romanticism era (Wordsworth, Shelley and Clare for example) loved nature and the elements so much they would experience a 'spontaneous overflow' of feelings and write some of their most popular works about how glorious the world is. The following poem is by Mark Twain, the American poet, and is one of my favourites: 

I cannot promise you a life of sunshine;

I cannot promise you riches, wealth or gold; 

I cannot promise you an easy pathway

That leads away from change or growing old.

But I can promise all my heart's devotion

A smile to chase away your tears of sorrow;

A love that's true and ever growing;

A hand to hold in yours through each tomorrow.  

My mum, the lovely lady that she is, would (and probabaly always will)  ask for one thing from my little sisters and I every single Mother's Day. A walk in the woods. My mum adores seeing the Bluebells pop up and time spent walking with us in a natural terrain was more precious to her than any naff present we could club together to buy for her. 

Hope you're all having lovely days :)

xxxxxx

Ps. Thanks so much for everyone who reads this. It means so much - I know I got a little bit ranty last post and some status' on my personal FB page but I do think it's important to challenge things sometimes. I would love it if people cared more about how I (or all people)  thought/felt than looked in my profile picture. You are allowed to care about both, of course :)