noord-brabant – Take a walk!

Last Sunday I went for a walk. Not the first time this year and it reminds me that I need to post some photos and info from my other walks this year (I wanted to write a blog after each walk but so far that didn’t work out).

The walk felt a bit strange. I usually go out on my own for a walk on Sunday and last Sunday was no exception to it. What made it different was the fact that I was wondering if I will be allowed to go out for a Sundaywalk the following week also.

In this troubled and worrying time, with the Corona virus spreading globally around, I already try to avoid most and close contact with other people outside of my family, but I think there are way more measures necessary to keep the threat contained. The time for appeal to common sense is over, we need clear decisions and vigor. With my husband (severe COPD) and my mother (heartcondition) in the high risk group I get very angry when people keep saying it’s just like the flu and keep doing what they always do.

My walk last Sunday was a nice one, through The Malpie, a region with wet heather and fens. Let’s hope I can soon walk there again with a less heavy mind and soul.

At the moment we’re still allowed to go out and I will be walking tomorrow. Walk while I have the freedom to do it.

Carpe Diem

I live in a noisy household, and by that I mean that there is almost always someone or something that makes noise. Whether it’s people, music or television, it’s hardly ever silent when I’m at home. Somehow I’m the only one in this family who can thoroughly enjoy to be at home without having music or television on and since my time alone at home is very scarce it feels like a constant battle to claim those silent moments. And I do love silence so much! And although mindfullness taught me to shut myself off from most noises somehow, it doesn’t work in stressful times.

My first daily walks lead me through the streets of my hometown. Very nice, but mainly paved sidewalks. There is also a road that circles the village, approximately 8km long with a path for cyclists alongside, that I soon used to keep track of progress in distance and time. But there’s always traffic, not constant but it’s there, and so, though the countryside on the other side of the road is beautiful, there is always noise.

Luckily my hometown lies between the Strabrechtse Heide and de Grote Peel, two large nature reserves in Noord-Brabant. Woods, moor and heather are within walkingdistance from our frontdoor and so walking longer distances became not only a way to stay in shape, they became an escape from noise. And when noise was reduced to nature’s own sounds I was able to thoroughly enjoy my surroundings. It didn’t even matter how the weather was. Just being outside, looking around in a mindfull way, discovering hidden paths, beautiful views and extraordinary places was, and still is, enough to relax and collect energy.