Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-03
WHEN YOU GO WALKING
By H. Addington Bruce
VTOU have answered the summons OF
Y spring by renewing the custom of taking

xIOU have answered the summons of
Y spring by renewing the custom of taking
- daily walk-a custom which the
rgors of the past winter, perhaps persuaded
you to drop. Let me suggest that you en-
deavor to make your walking trips profitable
10 you mentally as well as PHYSICALLY
And there are several ways whereby you
can make them profitable mentally.
For one thing, when you go walking with
some companion give preference to a friend
who does not insist on limiting conversation
to the commonplace Of chit-chat and gossip.
AS I can testify from long personal expert
ence, walking is doubly beneficial when en-
livened by talk matters worth while, from
current events to concentrations in science,
art, literature, music, philosophy, and
religion.
may have been unusually fortunate in
walking companions. But the world abounds
in people who have ideas deserving of ex-
preston. And for that matter one can always
start conversation that will tend, unless
ones companion is hopelessly philistine, to
draw out discussable ideas
Then the danger of boredom-to many
people a real danger when they go walking
will be averted, and into the bargain mental
stimulation will be gained. There will result
more zeal for the doing of ones work, more
interest in life as a whole.
Mental stimulation-and discipline-may
most readily utilized when one goes walking
alone
Suppose you were out for solitary walk
this afternoon. Sit down, now, and catalogue
the things you saw while walking, with spe-
Cial reference to any uncOmmonly interesting
sights in the way of scenic features cloud
effects, signs OF the changing season, etc.
You may be pleasantly surprised at the
extent of mental blindness which such an
effort at cataloguing reveals. Take comfort
though, in the thought that the brevity Of
your catalogue simply indicates that you
might we'll make an effort to develop greater
observational power. And occasionally util-
ize your walks as an aid in such develop
ment.
That is to say, while walking make it
point to see all there Is to be seen. Espe-
cially do this when walking in new places.
Then, on your return home, list everything
observed in the new place. Going back there
next day, compare what you lave listed with
the actually, so as to judge how much you
really have seen.
But note that I advise doing this only oc-
casionaly. To do it habitually will, in fact,
tend soon or late to make walking wearisome,
and, what is worse, will cheat you of other
means of growing mentally through walking.
Among such means, oddly enough, none is
more important than to accustom yourself at
times, not to observe your surroundings
closely as possible, but to pay far less atten-
ton to them than you ordinarily do. Or,
stated otherwise, besides walks taken with
all your senses on the alert, let some of your
walks be given over to reverie, to day-dream-
ing, to mindwandernig.
The advantage of this-particularly If your
daily work is such to call for originality
of thoughts that it will give opportunity
for the emerging of any bright ideas that
may be latent in the subconscious depths of