Watching  the World Walk By

I’m so lucky that my new house has  a back yard that is pleasant to sit in—bushes, trees, flowers, birdsong and an occasional bunny.

But the best part is that It  is just a few steps to the  walking path…a 3.5 mile loop.

It is busier than usual these days as all other activities in Sun Lakes have come to a virtual halt. 

Perhaps it’s the only exercise left…fitness center and swimming pools closed.  

I’ve even pulled a chair closer to the path so I can often hear snippets of their conversation.  Writers are always encouraged to eavesdrop so we can make our dialogue more realistic. (I do that a lot in restaurants too, but obviously not these days). 

Two women seem to be talking more than a man and woman walking together. No surprise there.  My favorites are the dog walkers…every breed imaginable. Oops, misplaced modifier my English teacher would say. Dog breeds, not human breeds, although walkers themselves come in all shapes and sizes and have interesting gaits. Power walker, arms moving as well as their feet, the ambler, long strides,  and those plugged into their headphones. Are they listening to music, a book?   It’s also a fashion shows of sorts as I’ve discovered the variety of  hats and head gear for sun protection.   Most of the people say “Hello” or wave as they go by and some even consented to a photo for my blog.  

A variety of head gear and sun protection. A fashion show of sorts.

Pace varies…those walking alone usually have headphones…are they listening to music, an audible book or just plugged in, in  case that important call from a grandchild comes thru? We can only hope it’s from the grandchild and not your stockbroker.  At any rate, it’s a time when we need to stay connected any way we can.

I think today I’ll put Alexa out there and play music for the walkers. Since the average age here is probably mid-70’s, they might like a sound track from the 60’s-70’s. I’m thinking a little Cat Stevens or the Beatles.  A song I’ve been playing a lot these days, as I look at the beautiful blue skies of Arizona and the great outdoors we can still enjoy is “How Great Thou Art.”  Truly, HE is.

So these challenging and often lonely days, If I can’t go out into the world, I can in a small way bring it in to me.  One walker at a time.