Saturday, July 19, 2008

Have You Ever Stopped To Listen?

This morning I walked my normal walk at Lakeshore Park. However, I had about three errands to make before walking and so I was listening to my ipod with my FM docking station in my car. As I pulled into Lakeshore, I captured the visual image of my ipod ear buds being in my laptop bag on my office floor. Decisions, Decisions. Do I walk without my ipod? Do I not walk at all today? Do I waste the $4.00 a gallon gas and drive home, get my ear buds and drive back to Lakeshore?

I decided to do the most responsible thing that I could reasonably do at that moment. I wanted to walk but didn't want to waste the gas in my cars gas tank. So today I walked without the ipod. A first in about two years. I started out hearing the birds and normal insect sounds. Next it was a walker with an ipod singing along to what I assume she was listening too on her ipod. I then heard the normal hum and a surge or two from the KUB electrical substation. All of the surrounding homes burning electricity. By then I was near Northshore Drive and had the sound of all the passing cars along Northshore and Lyons View Drive. I overheard at least three separate conversations of other walkers. As I neared the baseball fields, the familiar sound of an aluminum bat hitting baseballs as I am sure a father and son were working on batting practice. As I walked near the UT Golf practice field it was the sound of the water sprinkler and the mower preparing the greens. The sound of the KUB waste water treatment facility came next. The smell is there every time, just this day it was combined with the sound.

After 2.1 miles I was reunited with my ipod. I am sure that it was as disappointed as I was that it didn't get to walk today. But the walk today did make me realize what a great earth our God created and how blessed I am to live in a community where I was able to enjoy my walk in a different way and without the ipod I actually said more hello to a fellow walker along the way.

But as much as today was different, the ipod actually takes my mind off the actual walk itself and tomorrow the ipod will return.

Have a great Saturday.

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