Reminiscing

This is a note I sent to someone when the subject of walking came up:

I've always walked; very weird. It isn't about the exercise; gives me time to think, I guess.

I remember late night walks growing up in Williston -- seeing the "northern lights" always fascinated me. Crackling, crisp snow underfoot. So very quiet when the wind wasn't blowing. No one out walking or driving. I was always the only one walking out there. Almost surrealistic (from on-line dictionary: Having an oddly dreamlike or unreal quality -- which is exactly the right word, I guess). (I can remember specific walks, but I don't recall why I would have been out there at that time, or in that specific part of town.)

In my hitchhiking days, also did a lot of walking. Among the most impressible walks was directly through the entire city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; took all night; started about 7:00 p.m. and got to other side sometime the next morning (I forget when; and I forget whether I even had anything to eat). I asked one policeman for directions before starting out; he pointed in the right direction (I assume) but he said I would never make it.

I substitute teach tomorrow: too far to walk on a regular basis -- six miles each way.

With regard to church / reading the gospel -- good for you. My favorite memories of church were when I was alone some years ago in northern England. I attended the cathedral in Ripon, Yorkshire, England. Very poorly attended. But very intimate. About 30 minutes by car from where I was stationed. A friend would take me. After a day hiking Yorkshire, I often ended up back at the cathedral for evensong. During that time became a great fan of Arvo Part, particularly 'Te Deum.'

Some nights I would walk to the local village church (the door was always open; I never met the vicar (?) but his house was attached); and about midnight I would be sitting in the pews (absolutely darkness, no lights; I had to feel my way into the chapel; the only light was the moon) and with my portable CD player and headphones would listen to Arvo Part. I think starting about 3:50 in "Te Deum" was most stirring.

When we were stationed in Turkey, I did not dare take walks as such, but when we visited the "outback" -- Cappadocia -- it made sense to me how Paul could have had the thoughts he had. It is so desolate, but there is something more than even that. North Dakota can be desolate but there was a special feeling that came over me when I was in Cappadocia. Maybe just an artificial feeling because I knew its history, but I don't think so. I think it was real. Weird.

Just reminiscing.