S&S Reruns: On Walkathons

I am still trying to wrap my emotions around the month of February. Meanwhile, here's a rerun from 2012, with a flashback of something that happened on February 2009.

Originally posted here: http://mariscribbles.com/2012/07/31/on-walkathons/

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One step. Two steps. Three steps. Four. My feet go thump-thump-thump-thump as I weave around the neighborhood. As I walk, twilight is planting its kiss on the pavement, on the streetlights, and on the houses that I encounter along the way. It paints a serene picture, calming me down, dispelling the anxious thoughts that have made their way into my mind during the day.

I missed doing this. Going out on a walkathon. I had wanted to do some runs on one of the condo’s treadmills but the lights were out – the gym was probably under maintenance – so here I am, walking, just going wherever my feet decides to take me. I am unconstrained by time, unhindered by walls. Simply unrestricted. I had left my wristwatch at home and I will only cease walking once my strength has given out.

Walking has always been therapeutic to me. As a child, I used to “make-dabog” across the wooden floors of our house when my parents didn’t let me have my way. As a teenager, I took it out on the concrete pavements of Los Banos when life didn’t.

“Okay lang ba kung mag-lakad-lakad nalang tayo?” “Okay lang. Saan?” “Kahit saan. Sa Sta Fe. Sa Agapita. Sa may EBC. Sa Umali. Hindi ako makapag-isip eh. Kelangan kong maglakad.” “Sige, tara.”

Walkathons are always so much better though when you’re walking it out while talking it out with someone. Or certain someones. I miss those people who took walks with me, you know, once upon a time. Like when I had my heart broken in high school. When I had tantrum attacks in college. When I faced crossroads after graduation.

I wish I had someone to walk it out with me right now.

But solitude is sweet. And though I walk these roads alone for now, I know I won’t be doing so for long. 

Twilight brings in darkness, but dawn will bring forth newness and light, soon enough.

So I will keep walking through the night.

Letting Go (No, Not Frozen)

I spent a few days travelling down public transportation memory lane the week I had Caleb, my Myvi, fixed. He used to have a huge dent near his left headlight. Don't ask, that's a very long story. Anyway, going back to public transportation was strange and very nostalgic. I used to have the routine down pat during my first eleven months of work. But, after being behind the wheel for a year and eight months, I was left somewhat disoriented by the changes that threw my old public transpo route and routine off.

Wake up before 7:00AM. Walk 20-30 minutes to the LRT station. Catch the train before 7:30AM. Run so as not to miss the 7:40AM ERL. Hop on the U429 bus by 8:00AM. Hop on Shuttle 1 by 8:15AM. Arrive at the office by 8:30AM. Add an hour to everything if you get up between 7:30 and 8:00AM. Add 30 minutes for every missed bus, ERL, or train.

One year, eight months later, the Shuttle 1 has been phased out, replaced by the Nadi Putra J03 which, thankfully, goes directly from the Putrajaya Station to my workplace. Well, almost directly. It goes around the entire Cyberjaya first. It's a twenty-minute ride (which just goes round and round) but I used it to catch up on some reading anyway. But, yey, no more bus transfers and unpredictable waiting times in between!

A friend of mine said taking public transportation is a test of patience and discipline. Hear, hear. I say it's also a test of "letting go" or the relinquish of control if you have already been driving around for so long.

When you're driving, you have the ability to control how quickly or how slowly you'll get from point A to point B. Granted, there'll be traffic; granted there'll be "getting lost" moments, too. But more or less, it's your choice if you want to drive at a constant 60 or 120 (kph people, kph). Malaysian public transportation is too unpredictable when it comes to time and schedule (especially the buses and KTMs).

When you're driving, you have greater control over your safety. True, there will be irresponsible drivers and motorcyclists (and sometimes even pedestrians) popping in and out every now and then, but you have the choice to drive with greater care, more defensively. Public transpo? Say hello to crazy bus and taxi drivers, people.

When you're driving you have greater control and command over the place where you'll be heading, the route you'll be taking.

When you're driving, staying a couple of extra hours inside the office is no biggie since you won't have to worry about missing the last bus or train.

I think having taken control of the wheel for almost two years has made me feel like I have such great hold over my life. Taking the public transpo was somewhat... humbling. It reminded me that there are a lot more things that I can't take charge over and that, really, there are times - a lot of times - that I should just learn to let go, to not feel the need to be like I have it all together.

I'm deliberating on doing this maybe at least once a month or something. Just so, you know, I'd be reminded from time to time to just let go.

Plus I can do more reading and people-watching that way. Teehee. 

Commercial Break

Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to interrupt our regular program by bringing to you a sketch of Legolas Greenleaf from J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of The Rings":

We had dinner last Saturday night at Ate Janet's and her two kids requested a drawing of Legolas before they finally released us at 11pm (they initially wanted us to stay until 1am or 7am, hehehe). We had an art competition, you see, and much of the night was spent trying to determine whose ice cream, whose minion, whose wardrobe, whose wine glass looked the best. They liked my drawings and made that final request before we left. So there he is. Legolas Greenleaf.

I hope you like the sketch, Shenker and Samantha! Tita Mari and Tita Prescious had fun eating your Mum's yummy dishes (and coffee!), drawing, and playing games with you all. When would you like us to visit again? :D

Happy Monday!