Tony and I dream about living in a “walking-friendly” community. The closest we’ve seen to this sort of lifestyle was when we visited Washington DC and stayed with a friend. We loved it as he took us around to local markets, shops, museums, parks and restaurants. I love the idea of being able to walk (or bike) to get my groceries for the day. Being outside makes me come alive. So does interacting with my community, with my neighbors, with the bustle of people out living their lives and writing their stories. And it doesn’t seem to happen for me when I get in a car and drive from one location to the next. That’s too secluded. Too removed from my environment.
I’m at a point in my life where I’m trying to force myself to live out portions of my future dreams in my present reality. I don’t want to think that the magic of my dreams requires some future time or place for them to unfold. I want to bring as much as I can into reality now, so when I am able to travel, I’ll already be in the habit of making room for my dreams.
I think I have a whole book waiting to pour out of me on that topic. So let me hone in on this post.
I occasionally make myself believe I’m already in a walking-friendly community. I get out with my kids and cross a busy four-lane street and meander through neighborhoods and a tiny little strip of shops. I let them explore. I practice my dreams. It’s good for my soul.
Here’s what we did one day on our walk:
Climbed trees
Investigated cicada shells
Followed the arrow
Collected odds and ends we found on the ground.
Visited a new specialty food store. Imagined that I had money to buy all sorts of novelties like raspberry yogurt covered pretzels, chocolate covered cherries, imported cheeses and spices, colorful pastas and tangy salsas.
Instead we bought a giant water bottle and 2 packages of peanut butter crackers from the corner gas station, at which we happened to run into our good friend Mr. Glen who does the maintenance on our home. A welcomed surprise!
Took some found treasures to the secretary in our dentist’s office. My kids love her!
Took some flowers into our chiropractor and Summer, his helper. My kids love her too.
Saved one flower to bring back for you! Enjoy!
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What a sweet post. I think that is wonderful that instead of waiting for something to come along, you are making your life the way you want it to be now! It might not be exactly how you pictured it right away, but with that intention there you will draw more and more of that into your life!
Walking is awesome! We try to walk to our “downtown” in our small town to run errands or just for fun, although it’s not first on our minds often. Ben and I loved a vacation to New York City and we walked all over. We felt like the area where our hotel was turned into our little neighborhood for the week. It was so fun! And your kids are so cute!
This is awesome…I’ve gone on several city bike rides with the kids and the joy of discovery is always the most fun part of our adventure. Just the other day I was dreaming of doing an art class with weathered wood…and on our bike ride we roamed into a construction site and I scored with heaps of old wood!!! Love where live’s detours take us and what we noticed when we are dreaming….
Your kids are so adorable!
And yes, please on the book!!! Dream big!
so when you are living in the airstream, you’ll have to come stay in ft collins a while! super duper walk/bike/family/park friendly! and we could be neighbors.. and i’d babysit for your date nights. promise.
That will be one of those thoughts I will hold onto to keep the dream alive. And I’ll hold you to the babysitting! But I also want a nite to wear a sundress and ride my bike with girlfriends to eat good food or visit a piano bar. Promise that too?
I consistently live like I’m on the tours that I plan to go on.When I wear boots, I pretend I’m living with my family in Nashville,writing songs and stories. It’s a life fueled by imagination, but also a life of reality.I believe what we practice,imagine and pretend to do can become reality. Children show us that all of the time.
This Is another great post, and,as usual,I get exactly what you’re saying.
Terrence, I need to do more of this. What you do while wearing boots is powerful stuff. You’re probably already half-way to TN by just imagining it to be true. I’m so glad we connected, and I can learn from you!
For the 3.5 years I lived in Stillwater attending OSU, I walked or rode my bike everywhere. I actually didn’t even get my driver’s license until a week before I moved because I never needed it! (And I hate driving, but that’s beside the point…) Since moving to OKC, I have not ridden my bike once (so sad) and sometimes walk to the grocery store, but otherwise…. it’s all driving. (Did I mention I HATE driving?)
You have inspired me to live out my dream of living in a walking/biking community as well! I only hope when we move to Edmond I might be able to do this a little more, since there are very few places I can reasonably walk to right now.
I wonder if there is anything practical that we can actually do to make the OKC metro a more walk/bike friendly place… I wouldn’t even know how to go about doing that.