I had a conversation with my daughter this week while walking. She was so excited about organizing the playroom. The kids had been dumping the toys, stepping on them, and tearing things up. She knew she needed to organize the toys and books but with 2 preschoolers and an infant, traveling frequently, and generally feeling overwhelmed, she hadn't gotten it done.
The military life has its perks but feeling settled often isn't one of them. Traveling to see family and friends, absence of spouse for training and tours of duty, and frequent moves left her family unsettled and disorganized. Without being in the military many families experience similar frequent transitions.
My daughter shared her frustrations and felt like she was having a meltdown. The two year old ruined his brother's glasses, tore up a special book, and wouldn't sleep. The playroom was full and the kids weren't playing with their toys.
As I walked through the park dappled with light and shade, I heard the excitement in her voice as she described the previous day of organizing and cleaning.
I heard the kids in the background and a little traffic from the road. I missed a few words here and there, but enjoyed the success story and enthusiasm. Before I knew it my walk was over. I hadn't looked forward to the walk but found it thoroughly enjoyable.
Recently I have been listening to podcasts on exercising outdoors, making an environment for creativity, and developing healthful habits. The idea of creating a Walk About program for generating positive conversations while walking came to my mind. Join me as we walk together, have a conversation, and share our walking stories. I have committed to walking everyday. My next commitment will be to choose a time each day for my walk. I’ll let you know so you can schedule a walking conversation with me.
