Have you ever stopped and looked at the trees?
When you leave the house, do you greet your neighbours? Or do you pay attention to your surroundings, and see that your neighbour’s plant has blossomed? Or the sidewalk you’re walking on has grass growing in between? Or that the traffic has been worse lately?
I didn’t.
Even when my mother exclaimed that there are fruits bearing on the tree in the nearby park by our house. She goes on telling how the workers in the area are picking mangoes from the tree, and how the land developers should plant fruit-bearing trees. That’s the daily routine of our daily walks. Just us, yapping about the things we noticed around our neighbourhood. Things I don’t usually see when I’m cooped up in my room working all week.
Daily walks are not part of my original routine. My friends know me as a fast walker, part of those people who seem to always be in a hurry. Even so, no matter how fast I move, life has a way to catch up with and make me see things. It took me three doctors and a few of my friends to tell me I needed to rest. When I didn’t listen, life gave me an unidentified illness that I had to see a lot of doctors and required a lot of rest.
Honestly, I feel fine until my body physically gives up on me, reminding me I’m still human. I thought I could still push it a little more, hold on a little longer until I couldn’t. I am used to stride faster to keep up with the fast environment, now I am forced to walk. It required me taking medicines in which I needed to eat three complete meals a day and build a routine where I take time waking up, not picking up my phone. Now I realized, it takes a lot of effort to take care of oneself.
Walking around made me notice a lot of things. I start to notice my surroundings, my current state, and the people around me. I get to sit down, be fully present, and catch up with things that I used to pass by. In our busy lives, we are stuck in a chair all day long and repeat the next day. It felt like an endless loop of being on our devices.
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Have you ever planned a day out without looking at your phone or stop doom scrolling and establish a daily routine?
Have you watched the sun set recently without any distractions? Just admiring the scene as the sky changes its colors?
Have you walked around your neighbourhood and noticed the newly opened cafe? Or the new stray animals hanging around your street?
Have you ever slowed down your pace just a little bit, and allowed yourself to breathe?
Have you ever stopped momentarily and just admired your surroundings?
Or checked in with yourself if you are doing okay?
I hope you do.
I hope that no matter how busy your life gets, you take time to breathe, even for just 5 minutes a day. Your body will surely thank you. I hope you pause momentarily and rest. Even if it means just sleeping all day long. Allow yourself to develop any hobby, no matter how unique it may be.
Remember, we are all humans. We all have limited capacity to function. We are here for a brief moment, why not try to enjoy it while you can?
