Tag - playing with Mr. Sunshine

I was inspired, due in part to my lack of productivity, to walk. The fact that the sun was brightly shining outside helped to solidify my decision to get out of my flat. It felt refreshening to have the brisk wind wash over my face and I knew the moment that I crossed the boundaries of the univerisity that I had made the right decision to go explore.

A few years back in Sociology we were required to carry out weekly social experiments. I don't remember the specifics of them all, but one noticeably stands out in my mind. The requirements for this particular 'adventure' as the Professor liked to call it (back then I found these weekly jaunts to be more of an annonyance than anything else), was to just walk for an hour.

Earth Walk, as it was titled, was geared with the following purpose: walk without a pre - thoughout destination. Go on a direction - less walk.

Earth walk is sort of difficult if you think about it. For goodness sake, we all know how to walk - haven't we been doing it for years? But how often do we walk out the front door without a rhyme or reason? Every day of my life seems to be structured, to some degree, by direction and purpose. Go to the grocery store; make it to class on time; walk home; take a shower. Rarely do we break from the monotony of it all and just let our feet do the walking, letting them travel freely, independent of any notion of time.

And so it would seem that today was the day that I truly was able to carry out this experiment. To the disdain of my mother I left my cellphone in my room and walked. I walked in areas that I had never seen before. I had no map but I chased after the sun. If the sun seemed to be shining more brightly down a particular road, I ditched the pavement that I was on and caught up with Mr. Sunshine. It was as though I was playing tag with him.

I mainly explored residential areas. Lovely, relatively modern homes were the backdrop to my afternoon. The roads were quiet - a beautiful change from my daily walks into the buzzing city. And there was greenery everywhere. For that hour or so, I felt like a local as opposed to a tourtist on vacation. I blended in with the scenery and I was able to see where the English live. I crossed mum's pushing their young sprouts in strollers and old men vacuuming out their backwards cars in the driveway.

I found my way back to my flat over an hour later. I feel refreshed and I am happy that I was able to walk this afternoon without a rhyme or reason. It's uncomfortable I think for many to wonder, as some would say, aimlessly. But I would dare to disagree. There are so many beautiful, rich and vibrant sights and sounds to be seen in this giant world of ours. And all it takes, as I found out today, is the turn of the front door handle.