The Stroll

I like to walk places because I enjoy observing my surroundings. Walking is more than a mode of transportation - it’s a healthy way to slow the day down. Thanks to the advents of internet and the smartphone, we’re stimulated for most of our waking moments. Walking offers moments away from our devices, where we can be with our thoughts and ourselves.

There’s something that satisfies the soul about walking as well. One notices things they missed before: Buildings with character, old cars parked along the curb, a new shop that beckons people to wander in or a sign begging to be photographed. In cars or on buses and trains, it’s easy to miss the defining characteristics of the cityscape. They blend in with their surroundings at 40 miles per hour. Blink and you’ll miss them.

Much has been written about slow living in the past few years, thanks to publications like Kinfolk. Perhaps it’s trendy, but it’s timeless to take our time. The pace of life has increased during this millennium. In centuries past, there was no digital stimuli to look at while waiting in line, or back-to-back meetings and countless emails for even the most busy and important folks. Granted, most of us wouldn’t trade our modern creature comforts for lives devoid of technology, but unplugging (or plugging in with intent, if you’re the kind of walker who likes photography) is an activity that’s all too rare.

Walking everywhere is impractical, especially if you’re an adventurer who wants to go far and wide. That said, walk wherever you can wherever you can. If you don’t use your legs you’ll lose them. More important, there’s a whole world to see right outside your front door that’s easy to miss if you don’t stroll down the street and take a peek.

Location: Various places, North Loop, Minneapolis

A bike in need of love on Washington Avenue

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