My Walks, Mixed Media Journal Page, December 11 2009
The last fragment of snow has evaporated from my front garden… spring is finally here! This past week, I’ve been liberated from my subterranean studio and begun to once again enjoy taking my daily walks. For some time now, I’ve been walking, not only to foster a healthier lifestyle, but also to renew my inner strength and find insight into solving the everyday challenges life throws my way…
When I was young, walking was a vital part of my life. Moving to Canada from Pakistan in 1970, my family had little to their name; it was several years before we could afford a car so we walked everywhere… through all the four seasons, even the blistering cold winters. In those days we lived a stone’s throw from the scenic Rideau Canal in Ottawa, Ontario. During the warmer seasons, we enjoyed walking the canal’s nearly 5-mile length over and over: feeding ducks on its waters, scanning its glassy surfaces for fish and picnicking along its banks. Those idyllic days were short-lived as we grew older and financial times toughened. It was many years before I could afford the privilege of living in a neighbourhood where I could once again enjoy a nice walk… (Not that I didn’t learn a lot from walking in other spaces… I’ll save that for another reflection.)
Several years ago, my husband and I bought our first home in a quiet suburban area of the city. It was so surreal to go from a noisy, cramped, downtown living space to homes lined with an endless succession of towering trees, well-manicured lawns and immaculate gardens. After all this time, I still can’t get over the strange beauty and golden silence of it all. On my afternoon walks, it’s not unusual to see a brilliant red cardinal chirping in a tree or catch a squirrel performing death-defying acts on an electrical wire high above my head. Nature provides a wide array of surprises for me as I wander through the neighbourhood. When I’m feeling really old, I go to the children’s playground and have a go on the swings… it’s so exhilarating! Despite these pleasantries, I’ve still walked through the area with the weight of the world on my shoulders… sometimes feeling like a great big failure as an artist, teacher, sister or wife. In spite of these worries, I rarely return from such a walk without some hint of a solution to my dilemmas or a glimmer of hope that stirs my soul. On my walks, inspiration is everywhere. I might glance up at the sky and find the title or the impetus for a piece floating by on a summer cloud … or look down and discover just the right word for a journal page on a piece of paper the wind has swept at my feet. As I pass by homes from different eras and economic stratas, a familiar doorway, a front porch or young girl skipping rope on a driveway have the power to unleash a flood of memories within me that shed vital insight into my life and art. On these journeys I even find free art materials: rusty bottle caps or interesting bits of plastics or weathered papers; in the fall I collect leaves to press. Walking in my neighbourhood never fails to rejuvenate me; it gives back so much without me even asking for anything. No matter how busy I am, I always find time to fit a 20-minute walk into my day.
I highly recommend walking outdoors as a studio/life practice. Whether it’s near your home, a nearby park or wood, meander outside your apartment/home/studio… somewhere where you feel safe… try to make it a routine. On these brief excursions, begin with a deep breath and allow your walk to wash away your anxieties for just a little while. Take time to appreciate being alive and healthy enough to engage with your surroundings as well as having the privilege to enjoy the pleasure of walking… in the process of doing so you may uncover a great many insights. Has walking been a source of inspiration for you? I’d love to hear your stories…
Stayed tuned for next week when I discuss my latest Vision Board workshop adventures with Maggie Jordan and a group of her friends at the Munster Hamlet Community Centre!
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