Good morning! I hope the world is being good to you and you’re being good to it.

Grab your coffee or beverage of choice and share a thought with me!

I went for a walk around the neighborhood this morning. The act itself was unremarkable. The temperature had removed itself from the bowels of Hell, smoke from Canadian forest fires cleared enough that the outdoors no longer smelled like a campfire, and I figured it wouldn’t hurt to get some sun and exercise. I’ve taken hundreds of walks before and utilized a route I navigate without thinking. The only real nuance this time was I started listening to _Metro 2033_by Dimitry Glukhovsky, not really a change I’d attribute to the outcome of my walking experience one way or the other. Yet, today’s walk felt different and became a sublime experience that could have continued well beyond the actual half-hour circuit.

Again, I don’t know why today’s walk was any different than its predecessors. Perhaps I was beginning to feel the noise of a cluttered to-do list, and taking the time to stow it aside brought about a moment of strong lucidity. Maybe I was just in the right mindset to appreciate the subtle goings-on of the community, noticing which homes recently got new roofs after a string of storms or admiring the elderly couple tending their garden in a peaceful and deliberate manner. This is not a big or heavily populated town, but it is still made up of far more people that I don’t know than do. I think this leads to an inherent curiosity about the homes I’m striding by and the people living within. I’m not talking about a snooping or nosy curiosity, but rather a revelation that each home contains people and families with their own histories, present day concerns, and hopes for the future. I’m wondering if they are living a life on contentment in these homes they’ve manicured and taken care of. What actions and chain of events brought them to the point they’re at right now? Each step along the walk potentially moved me past a lifetime of stories and futures still to come. Extrapolate that out across the whole town, region, country, world, and it’s easy to quickly feel insignificant. I have to then wonder, which of my own actions carry any gravity beyond the self-assigned importance in my mind?

But our actions and decisions do impact others, even if the circle is small. A simple, “Hello,” to a passerby can brighten a day to show someone they’ve been noticed. Using a patient tone with my kids after a frustrating moment leaves everyone in a better place. Not “gesturing” after being cut off by another driver could possibly save their day from becoming worse and leading to further reckless driving. Allowing someone to connect and share in an experience can create a bond that spans the globe. I think there’s a ripple effect to all we say and do.

That is too much introspection and philosophizing for a weekday. I appreciate those of you who take the time to read what can often become a ramble, because then, at least, there’s some connection between my words and what someone could relate to or found interesting. To think, I was going to write about the Tremors franchise today, but then I decided to step outside.