Friday, October 1, 2010

Something to think about

"There's no question you see more of the world on a motorbike than you do in a car, and more again on a bicycle. It's all about pace; the slower you're travelling, the more you're going to see."
Charley Boorman in his book Right to the Edge: Sydney to Tokyo By Any Means

We'd like to add that when you are walking you tend to see even more. The slower you go, the more you seem to absorb of the world around you. And that seems to be more than just what means of transportation you are using. The slower your life is, the more you seem to appreciate what's going on around you. The colour of the leaves changing, the smile of a stranger or the laughter of a child. There's no doubt in our minds that we lead a slow life and we tend to appreciate the little things in life.

We've recently heard about a man walking from Vancouver to Mexico. Its inspiring to hear someone else doing the things we contemplate. No one really does long distance walking anymore and there is something to be said about the experiences they have along the way. This guy appreciated the fact that when it was down pouring and he had to get to the next town before dark to set up camp, that when he played a song about sunshine on his harmonica that the rain ceased. This is one of the most prominent memories he has on his trip thus far. (He has made it to Oregon).

It really is true that when you stop and "smell the roses" that you can appreciate the aroma they give off...thus appreciating life a little bit more.

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