It's Thursday morning 8 July at 10am and so far today I have only managed 2731 steps. However, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were pretty good and I hope to complete my 10 000 steps by the end of today if I can remain disciplined and not spend all day at my desk.
Monday's steps (5 July) totalled 10 125, Tuesdays came out at 11 214 and yesterday I did a whopping (for me!) 16 117 steps.
Some lessons learnt about myself in all of this so far:
It is far easier to be motivated to walk when the sun is shining (but not too hot)
It is very easy to have another excuse like lying snuggled in bed reading rather than going out walking if you aren't the natural exercising type
Walking with someone else is SO much nicer than on my own (had a lovely walk with a congregation member yesterday who, in his 80s, puts my pace to shame!)
It's always good to check my diary before setting off as I got a day ahead of myself and spent half an hour on Tuesday waiting for my walking companion to arrive only to realise that was meant to be Wedneday's appointment. I then proceeded to get ahead of myself again in the afternoon and logged into a Zoom meeting I had rushed back to my desk for, only to discover that was also for Wednesday. It helps NOT to be scatterbrained which is a bit of a big ask for me.
Walking the same route all the time can feel highly repetitive (guess that's the meaning of 'same route') and rather boring and I thrive on change.
I like flowers! Walking takes longer when you literally have time and headspace to stop and smell the roses (and just about every other flower on the way!)
None of the above are of any particular consequence in comparison with the reason I am doing this - to consider what it is to walk in the steps of refugees fleeing for their lives and to raise funds to support them through Hope Health Action. What they might give t have time to enjoy a walk for the sake of exercise and charity fundraising rather than to protect their very lives and those of their children and people who don't have mobility.
To read:
To reflect:
The above reading comes from the United Church of Christ in the USA. Many of their clergy and lay members form part of a writers' guild, reflecting on Scirpture and producing daily devotions and other materials for use by their churhc members or others. I have been on their mailing list for a number of years and love the variety of interpretations and understandings of Scripture found on the daily devotional pages. You might want to sign up for their daily emails as a way of seeing things from different perspectives. I was struck by the first part of the Bible verse in the above devotion where the speaker appeals to Jesus compassion: “If you can do anything,” the boy’s father said, “help us! Show us some compassion!”
I give thanks for the compassion shown by those who founded Hope Health Action and for my sponsors for this walk. And I am reminded that we are ALL called to show compassion to those in need, as opposed to the judgment we can so easily show istead.
Some questions to ponder:
How easy do you find it to show compassion or does judgment tend to be your default position?
Where might you show compassion today and into the future?
Who do you judge most at present? Why?
Prayer:
God of compassion, may we be people who share your compassionate love with others. May we be willing to understand before we judge and to follow your example in seeking to alleivate the suffering of another. AMEN
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