Mission Walking

I know that Tuesday is going to be taken up with housework, so Sunday's walk will have to do for this week!

There were firework displays planned for Sunday evening in South Shields, and I guessed that the Ocean Road/Lawe Top area would be busy so I decided to walk to the People's Mission for evening service rather than take the car.  All that was left to wonder was how cold it would be, and how long the walk would take.

 Eventually I allowed myself 50 minutes and left the house wrapped up like an Eskimo.  although the day had been cold the evening wasn't too bad and the walking was excellent - just what I needed.  I made my way down Chichester Road and then up Hyde Road and along the side of Westoe cemetery to the footpath on Erskine Road then along the top of the South Marine Park, along Lawe Road and then Fort Street.  It only took 40 minutes so I had to do a turn round the block before going into church.

The walk was just right for me.  It was good to go up streets that I really haven't seen at ground level for a while.  The physical exercise was soothing (I had felt a bit out of sorts during the day and suspected that it might be anxiety-related).  And it gave me time to prepare for the service.

The service, as always, was uplifting, and it was good to talk to friends afterwards.  Then it was off to the Lawe Top to enjoy the firework display.  It was only as I walked home that I realised how much good my year of walking has done me.  For one thing, this was a walk actually planned into a daily routine, for another thing I was walking after dark and I didn't feel afraid.  I feel that I'm back to walking in the way that I used to.  A cousin reminisced to me recently how she was walked to the end of the pier and back after morning service.  I don't think I'll be doing that any time soon, but I will be celebrating the joy of walking.