Category / Walks

by Nathan Coumbe

A childish sense of wonder

We have completely lost our sense of wonder. Everyone’s in such a hurry that we can’t take the time to appreciate the little things that surround us.

I was out for my daily Artist’s walk and passed a mom and her child. The child was taking tiny steps left and right into the grass, off the path, fascinated by every little thing that he saw. 

Meanwhile the dad was snapping impatiently at the son and the wife: “Hurry up, move faster! Come on, let’s go, let’s get out of here!” 

I was so pleased to see mom stand up for her little boy. She said, “But Daddy, there’s so much to see!“ There was, and he was adamant about exploring every bit of it.

  • What if we could once again find fulfillment from the grass between our toes?
  • How much nicer would life be if a special pinecone fascinated us?
  • Remember that feeling of finding an unusual leaf and wanting nothing more than to stick it in your pocket and take it home?

We could all use a little bit more of that childish wonder in our lives.

by Nathan Coumbe

Egrets and Snakes

I went on a walk at the park near the huge water reservoir where I live. There is something especially soothing for me about walking near water.

While there I saw a young woman doing yoga in the shade of some trees right on the edge of the water. Shortly after I passed her, she strapped on some rollerblades and rolled, danced, and sang over every inch of the the park. It was both beautiful and entertaining.

As I started my walk back to the car, I saw a little girl walking near her mother who was pushing a stroller. I moved closer to pass them on the left, and I noticed the little girl holding a red marker and a piece of paper with pictures on it. Her mother had created a scavenger hunt based on nature items, and the little girl seemed to be making great progress.

After spotting and crossing off her list a certain tree, the little girl said, “Okay, now it’s time to find a SNAKE!”

“A snake?!” the mother exclaimed.

“Oh yeah,” the little girl replied, “but don’t worry, mom—it’ll be easy to find out here!” Needless to say, the mother was horrified. Apparently she did not realize a snake was part of the hunt!

I also saw a beautiful egret on the water’s edge. They are one of my favorite birds: quiet, steady, and precise. They remind me of my mother, a great lover of birds who brought me up to love them too.

Synchronicity and serendipity abound when we ask the universe for things: I thought to myself, I’d really like a walking stick. Lo and behold! I found the most perfect walking stick not 10 steps away from where I had the thought.

As so often happens with long, undistracted walks outside, I had a small personal revelation: I would absolutely love to live somewhere close to the beach or a secluded body of water. Perhaps a quiet lake…

Walk outside today, with no distractions, no headphones, no noise. You’d be amazed at what the world has waiting for you.

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