Written at the request of
Friends of Forest Park
Portland, OR

COME WALK THE GOOD EARTH

Walk.. Talk.. Laugh.. Love.. and Live in peace. The Earth is yours!
-- Rev. Dick Harding the “Walk Doc”

With Forest Park in our midst we can take health walks everyday. Health walks are holistic effecting the mind, body and spirit. I can attest to their positive influence on grief for I walked my way through mourning after losing my mother, best friend and elder brother in less than two years. Walking isn’t something I just wanted to do; it became something that I had to do in order to find peace of mind, and my way to accepting the losses.

We can walk our way through grief and loss, stress, tension, angst, frustration, anger and fear. I not only use my walking time thinking things through, but also listening deeply to the sounds and wisdom of nature. What better place to solidify our understanding of life’s changes than in the forest where transformation happens right before our eyes. From the death of the plant and animal life, the earth is enriched and produces even more wonder for our enjoyment.

Nothing dies without revealing its gifts. Even in the midst of the most horrible situations, there are opportunities for wisdom and new life to emerge. After losing loved ones, people often move in new directions. They change careers, found charities, become advocates, start volunteering, and/or find their passion. Walking is a tool that can assist us in self-learning and in world understanding. In my opinion, it has that kind of power; especially, if we walk alone with our thoughts. Nature’s accompaniment will surely be missed if we are plugged into all the available, modern contraptions.

Dick Harding in his book Walking Through Stress: Meditation in Motion, says this:

A relaxed brain is the safest and most sensible medical technique for your mind, moods and muscles in today’s stressful society. Over a period of time, creative ideas and pleasant memory sensations will heighten your level of mental control and comfort. The tranquil brain makes a biochemical response (from its 2,300 natural chemicals) that permits you to fully enjoy a superb psychophysical environment inside yourself. (xiii)

Why not take time each day or each week to walk off deadly emotions and find freshness and new life in the unspoiled beauty of Forest Park? I’ll see you there.