Walking Conditions

   Years ago someone passed along a copy of "Christian History" which was dedicated to The Wesleys.  I'm trying to go through and clear out some magazines so I picked it up and, of course, started reading.  The very first article, entitled "Did you know?"  noted that John and Charles Wesley would walk home from college - 150 miles!  It goes on to say the "journey was often marred by bad roads, inclement weather, and even highway men."  I found my self wondering about their shoes... and did they have backpacks?... and what about a poncho or rain gear for inclement weather?... and where did they stay at night.
   The point of this paragraph was that they read as they walked, which scared their father.  Maybe this is an early version of texting while driving.  The paragraph ended with "John maintained that reading for 10 of his 25 daily miles never caused any harm."  Twenty-five miles!  He walked 25 miles without fancy hiking boots, walking poles, a sunhat with an SPF value, lightweight and fast-drying clothing? That's something for me to think about as I try to get to 15 miles a day.
    I just finished reading The Hiding Place which is the story of Corrie Ten Boom and her family.  They lived in Holland and were significant leaders in the Dutch underground, moving Jewish families to safety and also hiding a number in their home.  They were arrested in 1944 and her father died in prison weeks later.  Corrie and her sister were later transferred from prison to a concentration camp.  She describes the trip in the cattle car with no food, then the long walk to the concentration camp.  It doesn't even matter how long the trip was in this case.  It was a long agonizing walk as they were underfed, had spent months in a tiny jail cell, were given no protection against the weather and were still wearing the shoes they had on at the time of their arrest.
   Humans have been walking for a lot longer than we have been riding in cars and other forms of transportation.  There are days when I think my goal for the day seems out of reach.  But most days I think walking is perhaps one of the most natural things humankind can do.  So I journey onward.  May you have a chance to enjoy a walk.