[at-l] Walking & Seeing

[kborski@yahoo.com (Karen Borski)]

Good topic, I think. 

There are two areas to "see" as you walk.  One is the
easiest to view as you hike: the ground around and
just in front of you.  You have to look here anyhow,
if you don't want to trip and stumble a lot.  There
are all kinds of unique and interesting plants, rocks
and roots to see as you watch your footing, as well as
animals, including mice, voles, chipmunks, spiders,
snakes, birds (juncos flit just in front of you in
spring to distract you from their nests), frogs,
salamanders, moles, butterflies, moths, etc.  The
majority of life is smaller than we are, so looking
down gives you an opportunity to study this smaller
world that often goes unappreciated.  

The second area to "see" as you walk is the larger
view far in front, to the sides and behind you. 
Viewing this range of sight requires eyes up, a slower
pace (depending on terrain) and you'll need to expect
to trip and fall.  Yes, trip and fall...a lot.  I wore
knee length gaiters every day to keep from scarring my
legs, but it was worth the tripping and stumbling to
be able to catch the back end of a bear running
through the trees, or to see the spotted fawn hidden
in the grass, to see the sunset off the ridge and the
owl flying low over the trail ahead in the dim evening
light.  You also learn to place your feet better,
maintain better balance and flexibility.  I absolutely
love to put the legs on auto pilot and "cruise" out
the miles with eyes scanning the woods to the side or
in front for movement.  Hours of studying the changing
patterns of forest, meadow, mountain, left me with a
sense of traveling over a miraculous planet, floating
through time and space amidst life, marveling in the
miracle of all of it, feeling the surface of the
Earth, the breath of life on it, the patterns of eons.


Enjoy your hike whether you look down at the little
things at your feet or up at the larger things.  It's
all gratifying to see.  And don't forget giving time
to appreciate what you hear, feel and smell.

Nocona
GA-ME98

--- Draggin' Anchor <dragginanchor@earthlink.net>
wrote:

> Anyhow,  do y'all have a system of some sort,
> conscious or unconscious,
> which you follow?  If not, how do you manage to
> really see all that you do?



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