This article is machine-translated.
Recently I have had an urge to go for a walk - I don’t know if it’s a habit or an instinctive craving of my body, like my ancestors walking from one continent to another 10,000 years ago. I can’t walk that far, usually 10,000 steps is about right, any more and I feel a bit bored. I’ve probably calculated that I can listen to a medium-length album after walking all these steps. Of course, sometimes I don’t mind walking a few more steps if I don’t finish the album, but it’s always good to go for a walk anyway.
When I set out, I actually had a topic ready to think about for amusement on the road, but as soon as my headphones were plugged in, I forgot about it. I don’t know if it was the music that caught my attention, or just plain forgetfulness. The brain always finds the most comfortable state, perhaps thinking about nothing is the most energy efficient. I wandered around aimlessly, sometimes stopping behind a fisherman and casually asking if the fishing was good, even though I never fished. Once, a guy on a motorized bicycle turned out of a side street next to me, and when he came up to the kerb, his bike suddenly collapsed, and the fish in the tailgate spilled out all over the place. I had to pretend I didn’t see it and walk quickly past. It was actually okay, if the box was empty, it would have been more embarrassing.
In the beginning walking was for fitness. Every time I eat fried chicken or kebabs, I always feel like I’ve become the most indulgent person in the world. Walking after eating seems to relieve some of the guilt in my heart. But often walk halfway, began to silently calculate the calories: “How far do I have to walk to consume a small dumpling?” After learning the result, I can only comfort myself: tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, don’t eat again, just keep walking.
Nowadays, walking has become a habit. Even when I see a distance of only two or three kilometers on the map, I don’t want to ride a bicycle or take a taxi - as long as I’m not in a hurry, it’s really nice to take a walk. Walking has brought me a new mode of thinking, walking is probably the right thing to do.
Nowadays, there is so much need for something to fill the gaps between thoughts: a book, music, or to empty the brain. Like waxing a canvas, spreading a dense hydrophobic layer between thoughts. Of course, if it’s raining outside, it’s best not to go outside and walk.
I sometimes walk from afternoon to evening for about an hour. The process often gave me a thrill like playing an RPG, and strongly piqued curiosity. I’d just wander along, seeing streetlight posts and wanting to punch them - and I did, and it hurt, and it was great. Just walking forward with open steps, with nothing but streetlights and stretches of road in my eyes.