I went for a walk the other day

Innocuous

(1. not harmful or injurious; harmless: an innocuous home remedy. 2. not likely to irritate or offend; inoffensive; an innocuous remark.)

enough for a headline, huh? What did I see on my little trek you ask?

It started out innocent enough with an anthill. Tiny ants building a house. Not a care in the world outside of their colony, just grabbing anything they could and carrying it home. The irony was not lost on me in that moment. Are we not just like those ants in our world?

Next, I came across a field with cows. Just mulling about chewing on their grass and passing their gas. Again, the irony was not lost on me. Are there not many humans that do the same thing, just sit around chewing on their tongues and passing gas?

Then under my feet a gigantic cockroach (water beetle) went scurrying past. Irony there too? You bet. Are there not bigger cockroaches of the human kind that do the same? They usually hide in the dark and scurry in the light, right?

Time to check out the flower garden at the sweet old lady's house, she has a wonderful array of roses and carnations, multitude of colors, just glorious and there flying around, with their stingers, bees, pollinating with efficiency, what a sight to see. Occasionally, us humans do the same in our own way.

Oh what's this, I have a furry buddy following me around now, disheveled and hungry, don't worry I have a snack for you. It really is a shame how many stray cats (and dogs) there are. Much as it shames me to see homeless people sleeping under a canopy or park bench, disheveled and starving, I wish I could do more for them. Sadly, many of them are there because they wore out their welcome elsewhere with poor choices and bad habits.

I saw an old man crossing the street with cane in hand and shuffling his feet, cars coming fast and refusing to yield, I stepped in the street and provided a shield. I held up my hands and gave them the STOP sign. Where is the decency in people sometimes? How would they feel if that was their mom or dad trying to cross the street and selfish jerks didn't care? That is what went through my mind.

At the playground, children were running around playing soccer, the ball went out in the street and one of the kids started to run after it, but a car was coming and I grabbed the kid, the mother saw me and wondered what I was doing, initially she thought I was trying to grab her child for my amusement. She wasn't watching very closely when the ball took off. I told her to stop talking to her friends and pay attention to her kid. Then I went across the street and retrieved the ball.

I needed a drink, so I went to the store to get me a bottled water. As I was standing there, I saw someone begin to steal something. They did not see me watching them and I alerted the manager to keep an eye on them. Most managers would be vigilant, but this one did not seem to mind. I wondered why? The person was a young woman that needed something for her baby, some formula as I realized. I stopped her and offered to buy her some. The manager told me I was very kind, but she was going to just let her take it anyway. I insisted and we compromised, the girl got enough formula between the 2 of us to feed her kid for a week at least. Hard to imagine what the next week was going to be like though.

Wanting to save the world 1 person or animal at a time is admirable enough, but it does something to me, it makes me thankful for what I have and appreciate those even more that have helped me get through tough times of my own.

Got sidetracked there a bit, my walk is not over yet. A downpour ensued and drenched me and I did not mind one bit, it was refreshing to feel the rain splashing on my face, but what was even more refreshing was the triple rainbow I saw, just amazing what tricks mother nature has for us!

When I got back home, I was greeted by my winged friend, hummingbird Sweety, she comes to visit me often and gives me joy every time, sometimes she just flutters on my porch at the most curious times, often when I am melancholy and thinking of my departed mom there Sweety is to give me a smile.

Walks are nice and full of surprises if you stop to pay attention along the road of life, some good some bad, but sheltering behind closed doors all the time is sad. I need my daily walk to shake the cobwebs from my electronic overload and the exercise is so beneficial to me as well.

Get off your butt and go take a walk, my dear friends!

Thank you. I sincerely enjoyed reading your post. I know exactly what you mean. Kind of serendipitous regarding the post I made earlier today. If you feel inspired go check it out, just a short clip from a Chaplin film from 1940. Somehow I feel it relates to my impression of your walk. Cheers.

a reply to: Michielli

You bet, my walk was very Chaplin like, almost surreal and black and white with no sound to be heard, except for the kids and the birds and the motorcycles, LOL!

People sometimes forget how beautiful and centering the simple act of leaving their home and looking around can be. There's life and inspiration everywhere around us. Thanks for this topic, especially now.

Peace.

a reply to: searcherfortruth

Well written and poignant thread! You hit it all. People tend to go about their daily lives staring at a video game, out the car window, looking at their phones...and yes...some even walking like you were, biking or jogging...with headphones on to their favorite music. (Yes, at times I am guilty of that as well).

As a species...no matter the country...we've learned and gravitated to tune the world out. My wife is one. She has...HAS to have a tv. on in the house. "Background noise" she says...which I understand. But, I hear so much in my job, phones, gps, police, fire, emergency services, booming cars in my neighborhood...that sometimes I just want it QUIET.

Its important as you said to observe the world we live in. Its sounds, meanings, observations are all important. And we slowly are losing that these days. Its good to know friend, that someone out there sees and thinks of some of the very same realizations I do.

Since you do...all is not lost. And for that? Im glad. Thank you very much for posting this!

Best.....Mysterioustranger

a reply to: mysterioustranger

You are welcomed, remind your wife there is such a thing called quiet solitude.

a reply to: AceWombat04

Glad I could be of assistance!

I enjoyed your walk very much. You stayed tuned in to your surroundings rather than having on earbuds and looking straight ahead like everyone I see.

originally posted by: searcherfortruth
Get off your butt and go take a walk, my dear friends!

I'd Love to,
but
I'm that old man with the cane...
and every step is on
a pillow of pain!
We needn't 'go' anywhere to learn
to be thoughtlessly Mindful
at every turn! *__-

a reply to: searcherfortruth

She just popped up over my shoulder right now! She says "What's that?" I said "Honey? Its about you stopping to smell the roses" (and turning off the tv and getting out)as its often said.

She asked "How do I smell the roses through the t.v.?!" She's a Gemini-the twins....and my points are always 50-50. Half in my favor and the other half...HER other half's favor!

She's just so high-strung...she's wound tighter than my low 'E" string on my Stratocaster electric. But, we really do go for walks...moreso the dog and I...but her too.

Again, very nice writing. More people should take away something positive about your thread here. Good job. Thanks!
MS

PS I am a published writer myself...and your style is very good.

a reply to: angeldoll

My idea of "ear buds" is a cute cat meowing in my ear!

a reply to: namelesss

Look, I have had 7 knee operations, I need two hip replacements, I have cartilage damage in both of my ankles, I have had 5 slipped discs, 3 in my lower back and 2 in my neck, diagnosed with diabetes, so what do I do? Resolve myself to the scrap heap? NO! Even when I was bound to a wheel chair and it was snowing outside, I found a way to get myself to that wonderful land of nature. Have a will and quit making excuses, Go Outside, even if you need to bribe the nurse.

a reply to: mysterioustranger

I am so grateful for your kind words, it has always been my dream to be published someday. It is on my bucket list. I keep trying to find that perfect specimen to pull the trigger on rejection, perhaps, someday it will come my way!

originally posted by: searcherfortruth
a reply to: namelesss

Look, I have had 7 knee operations, I need two hip replacements, I have cartilage damage in both of my ankles, I have had 5 slipped discs, 3 in my lower back and 2 in my neck, diagnosed with diabetes, so what do I do? Resolve myself to the scrap heap? NO! Even when I was bound to a wheel chair and it was snowing outside, I found a way to get myself to that wonderful land of nature. Have a will and quit making excuses, Go Outside, even if you need to bribe the nurse.

You made me smile! Thanks for that! *__-
I do 'get out'! I do sit in the shade of that huge oak, contemplating, watching the ripples on the water...
I just spend as little time as possible off my feet (which isn't near enough!)!
It was like when I fell off the 'sunfish' and landed both feet squarely in a bed of sea urchins!
Hokomo kokomo talk about a hot foot!
I'm ready to carve a new pair whenever...
Perhaps 'hooves' for 'formal'? Haha!

a reply to: searcherfortruth

In writing? There is no perfect specimen. We can always make something better....Ive done that 10-even 30 years later. Gone back to rewrite something...when it should have been left alone...so now I do...

Write what you know. Write what you feel. Release it to the world and move on...we are here in this time but for a brief moment, a flash, a spark...

Good luck to you...and contact me pm anytime. Best....MS