A walk through the park

Central Park is right across the building where I work. Right when I started working, I was cautioned about walking through the park in the evenings enroute the nearest transit terminal. Since then, being new to the area, I never bothered venturing into the park.

Today, desperate for a stroll and some quiet time, I aimlessly walked into the park. It didnt turn out to be the least bit scary as I had conjured it up in my imagination.

It was a very pleasant walk through the towering firs, passing by the startled squirrels staring at you, a nice quite pond with geeses and just the right number of people walking/jogging/running through the park. I walked for the most part and than sat down at a bench for a few minutes before resuming my walk again. I didnt bother to look at my watch trying to figure how much time had I spent.

Such moments are few and far when I get to sit with myself without thoughts racing, priorities clamouring to find their place, tasks popping from the perpetual ToDo list and the brain racking to be on top of things to never miss the balance. These are hence, very treasured moments.

These are moments when you talk back to yourself. These are moments when you listen to yourself. It is when you strike a conversation with someone inside you. Not that I dont talk to myself rest of the time. In fact, I talk to myself all the time. But compared to these serene, quiet moments, you realize that it is mostly chatter when you are rushing to work, on the transit, in the elevator.

I dont see how this time that you spend in communion with yourself is any different from meditation. I believe the essence is striking a chord with something within you that makes you feel - ah, full circle. I think now I sort of understand what they mean when they say that you are not at peace with yourself. No wonder these things are hard to explain and only experiential.