... of The Dithering Thoughts Of a Man At Sea With His Own Decisions And Feelings.

Spring is a such a beautiful time of the year. This is my favorite time to observe nature in its most verdant glory. Early spring provides me with many opportunities to go 'walkabout'. A "walkabout" is a tradition amongst the Aboriginal people of Australia when, for a short time, they disengage from the trappings of modern society to revert to a traditional lifestyle of living off the land and wandering the bush. This is usually a time to evaluate priorities, meditate, and reflect on life while reconnecting with the earth and their (Aboriginal) heritage of a nomadic lifestyle. It really is at its core an 'up yours' to the prison of modern society and an attempt to break from its artificial barriers and the control systems it creates.

Until recently most Afrikans had a similar 'up sticks' form of disengaging with modern society. Most families had two homes - one urban, one rural - and spent most weekends at the rustic home. This was a way of disengaging from the demands and rigors of living in a colonized, and European controlled society. It was a time to reflect, relax, work the land, but most importantly to be the bosses of their own lives. The major difference between the Afrikan 'up sticks' and the Australian 'walkabout' is two fold: duration and intent. The aboriginal 'walkabout' lasted longer than just a mere weekend and was more of a spiritual (if not ritual) journey. A 'walkabout' has no specific schedule while an 'up-sticks' is usually limited to weekends and public holidays.

The essence of both systems is to disengage from the crowded, harried modern society, and its multiplicity of gadgets that constantly demand our attention. These are attempts to wrest back the full control of one's outlook on life. Both systems temporarily remove the automaticity brought on by our technology dependent modern lifestyles by effectively rendering schedules and deadlines redundant. Both systems also allow people to commune with nature away from the artificially controlled environments of modern cities. However, it takes an usually high level of chutzpah to leave all the electronic gadgets behind and symbolically break free from their slavish hold in order to just wander and wonder - both personal passions and pastimes. Seriously, is there a greater joy beyond just observing nature in all its glory while ambling along at a leisurely pace? This joy still mystifies most of my friends. I am constantly asked: Where are you going? - uh-hm, for a walk. Which way are you headed? - uh-hm, I will decide when I step out of the door. How far or how many miles are you walking - uh-hm - I don't know ... I'll know when to turn back. Is this to exercise ... yeah, kinda :P They always look at me as if I have lost my marbles and ... Won't you need your phone - nope, if I should get lost I will ask for directions :) That last one further confirmed in their minds what they have suspected all along - that I was slowly losing it.

Once, I tried to explain the joys of being out in the sun and fresh (well, sorta) air but it really was a futile exercise. Scientists have written about the positive effects of spending some time daily in the sun. The sunlight helps in the natural production of vitamin D which may protect against a host of diseases, including osteoporosis, heart disease, and cancers of the breast, prostate, and colon. What's more, sunlight acts on the pineal gland and produces melatonin, a hormone that affects the modulation of wake/sleep patterns and other photoperiodic (seasonal) functions. Sunlight has other hidden benefits—like protecting against depression, insomnia, and an overactive immune system. If one combines this with some exercise - the long term physiological benefits are almost immeasurable. The blank looks spoke louder to me than the chorus of chirping crickets in their heads. I know, I'm mean like that ...

Anyway, you would understand if you ever tried to convince a sedentary person of the health benefits of walking? Or, that fries and a large diet drink is really an oxymoron? The funniest (for me and told with a straight face) was an offer to drive me to the park to sit on a bench. Really! The park is just over a mile away, we could walk there and look at the birds. The petrified look on their faces was priceless. I tried a different tack and explained it from the bookworm angle. Another waste of my time as they would only wait for the movie if the book was any good. Seriously! They do not even read books. Why do I even consider these people my friends ... Anyway, it really is an understated joy to simply wander and wonder through a great book as much as through a neighborhood - at times taking the unbeaten path to discover that little gem about a city, town, or village. There is a certain joy in stopping to read those bullshit and contrived historical markers - then, going to the library to compare what has been written about that place and how it is interpreted. The dichotomies inherent in history are always fascinating, since history is always written through the prism of the dominant section of society.

However, it remains that wandering and wondering is an acquired skill which remains illusive to most (read sedentary) folks. Beyond the overt chutzpah, one has to be mentally strong to undertake such solitary pursuits. An itinerant wanderer must to all intents and purposes be well attuned to the machinations and workings of one's mind. A weak mind will be easily distracted - hence easily bored - to undertake a wander through a town and, by default, will have to rely on some gadget to stay entertained. Theme parks and museums have since developed the guided audio tour for those less inclined to stop and read detailed annotations to pieces. A true wanderer has well developed loner instincts and is essentially comfortable with being alone - which seems rather counter-intuitive as humans are naturally gregarious creatures. Suffice it to say it takes both self awareness and skill to be able to wander off in some direction with no defined destination in mind. Why is that so difficult to comprehend?

Which brings me back to the original impetus for this posting. What does one think about when on a walkabout ... what goes through one's mind when one decides to 'up-sticks' and head nowhere? Well, really, those are the dithering thoughts of a man at sea with his own decisions and feelings.

A final thought: "If you think you've got an inside track to absolute truth, you become doctrinaire, humorless and intellectually constipated. The greatest crimes in history have been perpetuated by such religious and political and racial fanatics from the persecutions of the Inquisition on down to Communist purges and Nazi genocide." Saul Alinsky in an interview with Playboy Magazine, 1972.

Have fun always!!