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The Walk That Clears My Mind

I have taken to walking very early in the morning. Initially it was simply to get the exercise I "should" do out of the way as quickly as possible. I walk roughly 5 miles and have been starting at 6:00 am each morning. It takes me roughly an hour to an hour and 15 minutes (depending upon if I am am walking briskly or slowly) to accomplish said task. I am surprised I have been so successful at getting this task done so early in the morning. Two items, however, have helped me to have this success so far:

1. I have all my materials packed in my truck (I have been favoring the truck of late, I like its older look, its blue-collar feel, and its casualness) for the next day by 5pm the previous day. The exceptions to this rule are a) my soft sided briefcase containing the journal articles I am reading, the papers I am grading, and my notebook filled with drafts of documents I am in the process of writing, b) the lunch my wife will pack for me in the morning, and c) my pipes.

2. I listen to NPR all during my walk. Its soothing talk and soothing music help to make the start of the day much more pleasant.

The amazing thing, is that I am getting to the point where I am looking forward to this very early morning walk as a way to declutter my brain and become relaxed and ready for the workday. I am enjoying the solitude, the early morning darkness, and the feeling of starting early and becoming truly awake... even prior to my coffee.

It has also helped me to transition more successfully into a good, productive day. I still am having numerous nightmares, and they have made my sleep pattern challengning and difficult. I often awaken very sad and cannot recall specifics of the dreams I have, but I presume they are about my mother's sudden passing, or about death in general, or about other fears I have. BUT, the walk in the morning helps get those thoughts out of my mind for at least a brief while.

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