Strolling: A Skill Every Teen Should Have by John O. Andersen

Power walking is so corporate. Fitness walking is so selfish.

Strolling is the wiser choice. Strolling is exercise, but infinitely more than that.

When you're good at strolling, it can not only be exercise, but more importantly, one of the finest forms of educational entertainment imaginable.

Strolling is a window to the wonders of botany, birdwatching, architecture, horticulture, geology, local history, meteorology, art, even sociology--to name a few.

A window?

Yes, because when you manage to slow down long enough to pause, listen, and focus, the wonders of the outdoor world can come to you in ways you may have never thought possible. Strolling is a deliciously subversive undertaking in a culture overwhelmingly biased in favor of speed.

The trick is to find the time to regularly stroll, and then expand your strolling skills to actually become a master.

For many, Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. is the perfect stroll time. But there are many other moments during the week when strolling works quite well. Even if you work long or odd hours, there is always an opportunity to stroll.

If you're strolling more than 1 1/2 miles in an hour, you're not strolling. Ideally, 1 mile per hour leaves ample time to study a work of art, have a twenty minute chat with a local, or stop at a cafe for a bowl of hot soup.

Two to three hours at that pace is the basis of a perfect stroll. In that time frame you could easily start thinking you were on vacation.

For certain, once you set aside regular time to stroll, and actually get quite skilled at it, strolling will become an irresistible passion.

Sure, strolling imposes few if any financial demands. However, be forewarned there are very stringent demands to achieve the ideal state of mind for successful strolling.

You can't be in a hurry. Cell phones are out of place. Short attention spans are not acceptable. Apathy is a deal breaker.

Master strollers have eyes that examine closely, feet that aren't in a hurry to move on, brains brimming full of curiosity, mouths that don't have to be open all of time, but ask probing questions, fingers that enjoy the feel of unique finds, and ears that work best when pealed for unexpected sounds.

Strolling is truly an indispensable skill; one best acquired in youth, and regularly honed throughout life.

From the author:

I'm John Andersen, the spouse of Mandy. We have two teenagers: a daughter, and a son. Since 1993, I've made my living as a self-employed professional carpet cleaner. We live in Portland, Oregon. We are very concerned about the effects of Peak Oil, and are currently in the process of slashing our spending, and re-ordering our lives to make our energy descent as smooth as possible. We are committed to minimize our use of fossil fuels.

In late 2006, early 2007, I had a three month stint selling newspaper subscriptions door-to-door. In retrospect, it was my final pathetic attempt to play the role of corporate teamplayer; the role for which I was groomed from childhood, and into which I was expected to go. What I found was I actually like being a carpet cleaner more than anything else. In such a "lowly occupation," I'm completely free from social climbing expectations from "successful people," and from the pressure to conform. This is a truly profound blessing. I can now report I'm happily married to rug-sucking, and that I've made my business procedures environmentally responsible! The newspaper job helped me to refocus, and approach my work with new eyes, a new head, and a new heart.

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