Walking in Nature is Best for the Waist and the Soul

The best physical exercise for me is good, old-fashioned walking. Because of arthritis and scoliosis in the back, I can’t run or jog. I never learned to swim, ride a bicycle, or skate. So, walking on the treadmill at home or at my gym is the only way to get the hour of exercise I strive for five days a week.

But walking on Silver Comet Trail near our home is the absolute best way to get exercise and soothe my soul. Every season has its beauty and a way of touching me and bringing me peace as the pounds go away.

In the winter, I hesitate to walk because of the cold. But in the starkness of empty trees, I see beauty in the promise of spring. It teaches us to let go and let God take control. The birds are silent, but there is a calmness that resonates with our souls, slows our breathing, and allows us to appreciate being alive.

In the spring, it is the new buds on the trees that remind me that each body needs time to rest and be rejuvenated. I learned that I must cease my constant movement and let what isn’t needed in my life fall away so that new growth can come. I am reminded that sometimes we hold on to people, jobs, and things and that as long as they clutter up our lives, God cannot send fresh blessings.

In the summer, it is the leaves on the trees full of birds singing in harmony, each one God gifted with a different song. Green is my favorite color, and all of the shades of green dappled by the sunlight bring light into any darkness I might feel, and I am renewed in the Light.

In the fall or autumn, as the leaves fall like snow, you realize that there is a God in heaven who designed the world in a way that helps us. The magnificent colors of autumn remind us that life occurs in cycles of life and death. As a 70-something, it allows me to realize that while I don’t have the freshness of my youth, I am still necessary. My soul relaxes and takes heed to the marvelous work of the Great Designer and Artist who makes all things beautiful.

So, walking in nature for hours at a time, being quiet, and letting nature speak and teach me is the best exercise I know. Not only does the waist benefit from it, so does the soul. As we walk, an appreciation and acknowledgment of God reminds us that we are never alone and that, like the trees of each season, we are beautiful whatever season of life we are in.