Some Random Thoughts...

Plus five things to love about October and a recipe

No proper Substack offering from me this week because I have been away from home but I will tell you more about that next week. Meanwhile I thought I would put together a quick summary of what I learned from my week away solo walking as well as answering a couple of questions that have come from different friends. Most of my take aways are pretty obvious really and there’s certainly nothing shocking or revelatory, however sometimes it takes a change of perspective to make us see the obvious more clearly and all of my discoveries about walking every day for several days are equally applicable to life in general. Several people asked if I ever felt alone or in danger and I can honestly say that I didn’t. Having to focus my energy on simply getting through each day one step at a time meant I didn’t worry about anything else.

Conventional wisdom might tell us it’s all about the journey not the destination, but arriving can be pretty amazing too, especially when involves a hot bath and shortbread, but then I am easily pleaased. I loved walking every day, experiencing different types of scenery, different places, meeting different people etc but it was tough, sometimes very tough both physically and mentally. So arriving at the end of each day knowing that a warm room and a comfortable bed awaited was wonderful. Of course in some ways a pilgrimage is not like other long distance walks because by its very nature it is about reaching a destination, so the final arrival is a unique and wonderful experience in the knowledge that you have walked in the footsteps of so many others.

So my takeaway from this is that whilst we need to enjoy the journey, we should appreciate the achievement of arrival too.

Which really does lead straight on to my next realisation that we need to appreciate life’s luxuries all the time, so many of which we take for granted. Hot water, flushing toilets, food, and a comfortable bed are luxuries that are denied to so many people. Stepping into a hot shower, relaxing in a warm bath, sitting down to a meal are life’s pleasures to be enjoyed and appreciated every single day that we have them but never taken for granted.

We need to appreciate all the small luxuries in our lives

A Fitbit or similar device can be a useful tool but be aware of their limits. I am aware that it is a personal flaw that I can become quite obsessional about data. When I used to run, I would religiously record every single time and distance in a notebook, comparing them to previous achievements. I wear a Fitbit because I still like to track my steps and activity, aiming for the arbitrary 10,000 steps a day and I try not to stress too much if I don’t reach my daily goal. But after a day of walking from 8am until 4 pm, clocking up over 41,000 steps I definitely did not need to be reminded that I hadn’t moved during the past hour as lay in my bath easing my aching muscles! Modern technology is a tool we can use for guidance, but we also need to listen to our own bodies and know when we have done quite enough for one day. Rest is just as important as activity.

Listen to your bodies, get to know what feels good and what feels normal.

Snack sized packets of fruit and nuts can be a life saver… unless of course you are allergic to nuts and then needless to say they are best avoided. There were a couple of days when I couldn’t find any suitable stops for lunch, but a small pack of fruit and nuts were just the thing to restore my energy. Mostly good for you and easy to eat on the go.

Just like a boy scout, be prepared and carry snacks!

Overall my biggest result from undertaking the pilgrimage has been a sense of calm and acceptance with the knowledge that we can’t always change things to the way we would like. All we can do is control our own behaviour and responses and try to live our own best lives, being kind and considerate. And although this seems blatantly obvious the realisation has seeped into my life every day since I have been home, making me feel more relaxed and more content. I wake up looking forward to what the day has to bring. I’m usually pretty optimistic most of the time anyway but it has still felt like a huge change.

Unfortunately we are constantly being fed a steam of bad news about all the dreadful things that are happening in the world and it’s easy to fall into a trap of feeling this is the way things are for everyone everywhere. And whilst I fully accept there are and probably always will be atrocious things happening, there is also an awful lot of good in the world too.

Sometimes we need to stop awhile, take a deep breath and appreciate all the kindness, beauty and wonder that exists, every single day.

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Here in the northern hemisphere it would be easy at this time of year to let our mood sink as we approach the winter months, knowing that the temperatures are dipping and the days are shortening, but in the spirit of my lessons learned here are five reasons to enjoy October.

· It is still a great time to get outside to appreciate all the glorious autumn colour, which can lift the spirits on even the dullest day. And let’s face it, who doesn’t enjoy kicking through fallen leaves, a pleasure I have recently rediscovered with my youngest granddaughter who exclaims with joy ‘leaves’ as we rustle our way through the fallen carpet.

· If it feels too chilly then throw on some woollens. Put on those cosy sweaters, mittens, scarves and hats and get outside. Maybe learn to knit your own. Wrap up and enjoy the fresh air.

· And when you are indoors at this time of year , the dark evenings are the perfect excuse to light fires and candles, and switch on the fairy lights, whilst snuggling under a blanket with a good book.

· It’s a great time for a bit of star gazing as apparently the night skies are especially good this month with the Orionids meteor shower visible throughout October, peaking on 22^nd.

· It’s the perfect season to indulge in some comfort food. I’m sure by next April we will all be craving fresh fruit and salads but for now we can enjoy soups, stews and some seasonal baking like these apple muffins that I made this weekend.

That’s all for this week but do stop by and leave a comment telling me your favourite thing about Autumn.

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