How Goes Your Gait? (Walk this way…)
Friends! How many of you pay attention to the way a person walks? You can figure out a LOT about a person, solely by the way he or she walks...
John and I learned a little about this many moons ago when a friend of his told us he hires employees largely based on the way they walk.
Huh?
Have you ever taken a gander at your gait? Warning: Observing gaits of others will become a habit. John and I’ve been known to ask one another after seeing a stranger swagger down the street, “Would you hire him?” Just sayin’...
If a potential employee has a kick in their step (brisque and cheetah-like), they’re probably:
Determined,
Have purpose,
And/or have somewhere to go.
If they’re lolly gagging (slow as a turtle), they probably have:
ZERO fire lit under them,
They may only watch deadlines whoosh by,
And/ or they may seem unconcerned. (“Whoopsie daisy,” as Hugh Grant said more than once in Notting Hill.)
If one’s gait is non-work related, as in strolling (everyone take a deep breath: ahhhhhh),
By taking in one’s environment,
Studying elements of God’s creation,
Well then that is a-okay, as it should be.
For example, when we go on “adventures” with our oldest granddaughter, we may never get past the driveway, but that’s mighty fine. There are bugs and worms and sticks and who knows what else to keep us occupied, wondering while wandering. Seeing things anew from a three year-old’s perspective is a gift.
This is Claire’s “Fairy Door” found from a large vine hanging down our driveway. Now, of course, we cannot bring ourselves to cut it down…
Oh, my friends, do we know the difference in the speed of our gait?
Is it possible to settle down enough from whatever the world’s woe-du-jour is to move at the speed of our own souls?
This week we’re going to peek into a beautifully written book with words to marvel over, thoughts to ponder, ideas to soak in, in the most serendipitous way. Let’s look at God Walk: Moving at the Speed of Your Soul by Mark Buchanan.
Mark hails from Canada. I’ve read several of his books and they’re all my favorites!
Mark’s writing style takes us readers on a mental vacation akin to admiring a gorgeous vista, whether mountains or beaches are your preference, opening our eyes afresh to whatever topic he’s writing about. (I predict you’ll learn a lot of new words, too, as I’ve about worn Google out!)
God Walk introduces us to a whole new concept: That of walking “at the pace God keeps. It’s God speed.” Writer Rebecca Solnit reveals three miles an hour is “about the speed of thought, and maybe the speed of our souls.”
Early on we learn about Mark’s friend, Norm, who suffered a terrible accident, rendering him paralyzed and in a wheelchair. Mark reminds us that the very act of walking, simply putting one foot in front of another, is something we should never take for granted.
He adds, “Walking is...our most taken-for-granted activity....Until recently, I had lost, if ever I possessed, sheer astonishment at the simple, humble miracle of carrying myself every day everywhere. These legs are more wondrous than a magic carpet, more regal than a king’s palanquin. But only now have I come to see it.”
(I’d love to ride in a palanquin—I didn’t know what one was initially! Pity the poor persons toting me….). I digress: I get Mark’s comments regarding walking, a little bit. I sorta had to learn to walk again after my hip replacement surgery this past March.
My most patient husband, God bless him, helped me, spotting me (no crashing and burning allowed!), while I learned to walk with the help of a walker, and later, a cane. Sitting, getting up, lifting my legs up on a couch or a bed were all new endeavors that required a whole lot of effort.
Week by week, big improvements progressed and my new hip was (and is) nothing short of a miracle. Now, almost six months later, I’m back in the taking-it-for-granted category, needing to regain that marvel: “The humble miracle of carrying myself every day everywhere.”
Perhaps that’s why I’ve flipped over this book. Mark reminds us walking is all throughout the Bible:
“Enoch walked with God,
Noah walked with God.”
The prophet Micah shares that God “wants us to love mercy and to do justly and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:6-8)
Paul tells us to “Walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:2)
Mark prepares us for what’s ahead, telling us his book is not just about walking for exercise, we learn about:
Each chapter concludes with a “Godspeed” section that focuses on one of the themes of the chapter, asking us to try something to keep pace with God.
Your brain and your legs will get a grand workout, trust me. Plus, you’ll never go on a walk the same way again, I’m not kidding!
One of my favorite ways to get a little exercise, is not just to go for a walk by myself, but to go on a walk with my husband, or a dear friend. (Don’t miss Chapter Seven, “Walking as Friendship.”) Time passes more quickly and you inevitably learn something from your conversations.
We learn many benefits of walking in Chapter Six, “Walking as Exercise: medicine, therapy, workout, a keener mind, a clearer memory (hello?), and a happier outlook.” YES!
Last Sunday John and I hit the jackpot when we walked over to Woody and LT’s neighborhood. Lo and behold, there they were with Ford in a stroller, both dogs on long leashes, heading out for a walk! What a blast to get to walk with them and see Ford “ooh” and “ahh” over whatever happened along their path. (He’s currently seventeen months old.) More wondering in the wandering.
Woody was in the lead with Frankie, followed by Poppy pushing Ford while holding June’s leash, and Baby Ford is craning his neck to make sure LT and I were still back behind them…
Or how about a few holes of golf with your mini-me? (Gordy and Henry, sixteen months old, in Lexington)
Or before you start to walk and are crawling, how about a lady bug hunt? Charlotte, who just turned one the end of August, is a pro at finding all kinds of “treasures…” most of which we have to ensure do not wind up in her mouth!
In the very first “Godspeed” section, Mark suggests walking with God is a discipline closely associated with a life of faithfulness. He poses this question: “Why not choose deep companionship with the three-mile-an-hour God?” From this particular assignment, Mark recommends we “go slow.” Try it! (Think back to our pokey turtle…)
This kind of walking is not speed-walking by any stretch. It takes time to meander. Time we think we don’t have, even if it’s the best possible daily prescription ever...Consider, right now, where can you insert a walk into your calendar?
Chapter Four, “Walk This Way,” is a great reminder we have a guide with us at all times (the Holy Spirit). Yet many of us forget to ask for help.
Mark tells of a time when traveling out of the country a friend of his hired a guide. He realized this was the way to go.
A map isn’t much help if you can’t read it, road signs may be in a different language, but a good guide is “worth gold.” Hired guides are usually natives of wherever you’re visiting and they know the ins and outs, usually local places you’d never find.
I often forget we have an even better guide, the Holy Spirit, with us at ALL times:
Mark ends this powerful chapter with,
“Scripture gives direction.
The Holy Spirit gives guidance...
it’s a potent combination.
Walk this way.”
Don’t miss Chapter 9, “Walking as Prayer.” It’s chock full of ideas to do in your own neighborhood, or with a group of friends. It is my favorite chapter, challenging us to be the “Walking Living.” Check it out.
Believe it or not, I’ve only barely touched the tip of the iceberg with this book. It’s loaded with beautiful, pertinent Scripture, illustrating various points of Mark’s plea with us to temper our gaits to match God’s. Right now, this would theoretically be easier because of the pandemic, however, when and if things return to normal, I fear frenetic walking lies ahead.
May we guard our gait along with our calendars...to amble with the three-mile-an-hour God.
Godspeed!
Run, don’t walk to your nearest bookstore and grab God Walk—truly a handbook for walking your own faith journey. Think of a walking buddy who would enjoy this and surprise them with a copy. Try it, you’ll like it!
‘Til next time!
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the page above are “affiliate links.”