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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Weeders turn out to head off pesticide use Gov. Kitzhaber steps down, federal investigation begins Successor Kate Brown must run for election in 2016 Emergency services, Feb. 14 Community leaders saddened by governor's departure Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services, Feb. 14 Police arrest robbery suspects who wore underwear as masks Purple Parrot robber sentenced Busy burglar still at large in Medford Sheriff's lieutenant may face misconduct charges over ticket dismissals Politics and Elections Gov. Kitzhaber steps down, federal investigation begins Gov. Kitzhaber announces resignation Successor Kate Brown must run for election in 2016 Community leaders saddened by governor's departure Read Gov. 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Lifestyle Latest stories Community blog: Your Brain on Love She needed time to think The zwickels shall flow David Murdock: Take a nice little walk Looking Up: The sky on Valentine's night Food The zwickels shall flow Community blog: Custard mashup omits scary step for amateurs Season Stepp: Prepare a steakhouse meal at home Tammy Kelly: Healthy at-home Valentine’s Day meals (and desserts) for two Donna Knight: Meatloaf holds lessons Home and Garden Repair or replace your garage door panel? Dear Monty: Hot markets change agent behavior Carol Link: How to make sure yucca plants are gone Home Help: Repurposing garage doors into stunning walls with a view Landscape lighting for beauty, safety and value Health Community blog: Your Brain on Love Health Watch: The rise of wearable fitness tech Community blog: Are You Losing or Gaining on Your Investment in Health? 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Infante: Just in time for Valentine’s Day, some favorite breakup songs Ayron Jones and The Way play Rocky-Tonk Brett Dennen plays the old Ashland Armory Community Events Southern Oregon Rod and Custom Show Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Jacksonville celebrates Chinese New Year Comedian Susan Westenhoefer pulls no punches Paula Poundstone performs at the Craterian Dining The zwickels shall flow Soo Rah Korean Cuisine Stylish shareables are the feature at Brickroom Sandwiches and burgers are hits at The Rogue Chef The Vine offers a taste of Italy Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Weeders turn out to head off pesticide use ... Get Up & Go: Saturday, Feb. 14 ... Gov. Kitzhaber steps down, federal investigation begins ... Weeders turn out to head off pesticide use ... Get Up & Go: Saturday, Feb. 14 ... Gov. Kitzhaber steps down, federal investigation begins ... David Murdock: Take a nice little walk Comment By David Murdock The Gadsden Times MailTribune.com By David Murdock The Gadsden Times Posted Feb. 13, 2015 @ 1:55 pm By David Murdock The Gadsden Times Posted Feb. 13, 2015 @ 1:55 pm » Social News Sometimes it’s easy to forget how pleasant some of the simple things in life truly are. In our world, things move fast. It almost seems that our lives blur sometimes, we’re so constantly and continually in motion. This thing has to be done, and that thing has to be done, and all those things have to be done RIGHT NOW! That fact frustrates me. I’m not even sure anymore when life became so fast-paced. All I am sure about is that the pace of 2015 grates on me, every now and again. One of my New Year’s resolutions was to get in better shape. I know, I know. Everybody resolves to do the same thing. Well, I never claimed to be an original thinker. It’s been so long since I’ve exercised regularly that I thought I’d take it easy at first, maybe take a nice 30-minute walk. Did I say “easy?” That first 30-minute walk of the New Year like to have done me in, as we say over in Reece City, Alabama. First of all, it was bitterly cold, but I have a nice coat of insulation (which is why I need to get in better shape to begin with), so I thought I’d be OK. No. Just a couple of years ago, I could walk three miles in 45 minutes flat and only break a moderate sweat. If it hadn’t been so cold, I would have filled the proverbial sweat bucket. I may not be an original thinker, but I am very good at facing reality. I needed to work up to what used to be a rather mild workout for me, so I backed off the amount of walking time to 20 minutes and started over. I love walking. I truly, truly do. I love it so much I don’t know why I ever get out of the habit. Finding that perfect rhythm of steps so that the body seems to glide along the earth puts me into a meditative state of mind, and there’s a sort of paradox there. As the pace of the walk slows the day, something very strange happens. Walking myself into a near-meditative state always helps me sort out lectures, turn over problems and sift through all the vicissitudes of life. Walking is not only good for physical health — it’s good for mental health, as well. Walking not only clears the mind, it quickens it, too. The thoughts come spilling faster and faster as the pace picks up. The only thoughts that spilled quickly through my mind that first walk of the year were related to whether or not I would make it home. I think I may have even calculated the betting odds of finishing the 30 minutes. I made it. I may not be an original thinker, but I am stubborn and persistent. I’m not the only one to love walking so much. Henry David Thoreau walked inveterately. Most people know his masterpieces “Walden” and “Civil Disobedience,” but he also penned a lengthy essay titled “Walking.” Thoreau talks about “sauntering” — he prefers that word to “walking” — up to four hours a day. Another dedicated walker was the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who left an unfinished manuscript titled “Reveries of a Solitary Walker,” which describes his ambles about Paris. Discovering those books opened a new vista for me. Both men describe walks of long duration, something I hadn’t considered. When I researched the topic a bit, I found out that many people used to take “walking tours.” They’d simply strap on a backpack and take off. About the same time I found these books, I also found out that my GPS has a “walking mode” that tells me how long it will take to get to my destination by foot. I found this feature when I accidentally tapped it trying to locate a place in Hokes Bluff, Alabama. When the estimated time of the trip came back as six hours, I began to wonder how big Hokes Bluff really is before I noticed the mistake. Wow — six hours to walk to Hokes Bluff! That’s quite an amble, but I think I can top old Thoreau. It might be more than an original thinker would come up with — walking from Reece City to Hokes Bluff just for the fun of it — but I bet a stubborn and persistent man could pull it off. If he spends a while getting back into walking shape, that is. After that first walk of the New Year, I’ve been working on it. I’m not back up to walking every day yet, but 20 minutes is somewhat easy now. When I feel better about it, I might just try that six-hour saunter to the Bluff. Y’all leave a light on for me over there. David Murdock is an English instructor at Gadsden (Ala.) State Community College. He can be contacted at [email protected]. By David Murdock The Gadsden Times MailTribune.com By David Murdock The Gadsden Times Posted Feb. 13, 2015 @ 1:55 pm » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. 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