The contemplative sidewalk

Kathleen Norris’ Dakota speaks often of a contemplative life, brought about by her experiences as an oblate at a Benedictine monastery and the isolation of the Great Plains. Yesterday over lunch with my wife I reflected on past days when I made more opportunities to reflect on life, to meditate, to just be and observe.

One thing I’ve done since high school is walk. I enjoy walking. I observe as I walk, I pray as I walk and I prefer to walk after dark when there are fewer distractions. I realized, though, that it’s more difficult to walk contemplatively here in Siloam Springs than it was in Nebraska.

The reason, I decided, is that there aren’t any sidewalks. The streets in Siloam Springs are narrow and when I’m out walking I have to pay attention to traffic and ditches. I didn’t have to do that in Nebraska where sidewalks were plentiful.