Today is the 174th anniversary of the Madras Christian College School. The school is situated in Harrington Road a good residential locality and has an ample campus with enough open area and very many trees. I am not an alumna of the school nor do I teach there. My connection to the school only goes as far back as the beginning of this decade. The reason for this association is because that is where I go for my morning walk. I started going there in the year 2001, only to stop within a short period. The lame excuse was that a small stretch of the road on which I walked to reach the school campus was dirty and could not be endured. Thus I shifted my walk to Loyola College another hallowed institution which was just at my door step and started going there from 2004 onwards. (The intervening couple of years, you have guessed right – yes, I did not go anywhere) This haven closed its door on all walkers in October of 2007 and this left me in search of another venue. So here I am back in MCC, for the second time and now I go there by car, leaving no room for any excuse about dirty roads and so forth. It also remains that the time for finding excuses is well past and I have absolutely no option but to walk.
With health awareness being on the rise, every doctor or for that matter any health column, advocates physical exercise. They may differ in their mode of activity however the base line is that 45 minutes of brisk walking is an excellent form of exercise. I consider myself an active person and enjoy doing all the activities any normal human being does. However going for a walk in the early hours of the morning is a different ball game. The need to do so in the early hours is because of the weather. Now early hours of the morning is the ideal time to sleep. I enjoy staying up late in the night when I catch up on all the world happenings and become a netizen. Thus getting up in the morning at five becomes an arduous task. When the alarm shrieks in the morning, the first reaction is to switch it off and doze back, however at that point the guilt pangs hit hard and thus I get myself to move out of the bed and after all the morning ablutions, and dressing up leave the house at about 5.35 am. My mood changes the moment I wear my shoes. These branded walking shoes, be it a Nike, a Reebok, or an Adidas have one thing in common, they can surely make you feel sprightly.
Once I reach the campus, I am in my elements and zealously guard the 45-50 minutes reserved for my walk. I don’t like to share that time with anyone and I enjoy walking on my own. It gives me time to think and to enjoy nature and the calling of the birds and other visual treats. It also gives me the time to interact with my God for it is then that I recite all my prayers. My only interruption during this period is the times I wave to known faces or sometimes pronounce a Hi. My speed is brisk or that is what some of the other walkers tell me. I do look out for the regulars as over a period of time I can recognize a person by their gait. I also get a glimpse of the youngsters at tennis and cricket. Now these are not the kids from the MCC School. The tennis coaching is given to outsiders and for those not in the know, this used to be the venue for Britannia Amrithraj Tennis Academy. As for cricket, the MRF Foundation is situated in this campus and this is the place where the likes of Chaminda Vaas, Sreesanth and many more of our pace bowlers have evolved. I see the youngsters coming in the morning and I try to remember their faces, for who knows a future Indian cricketer may be in the making. Being in the midst of these youngsters does make one feel a notch younger. On my fifth and last round, my mind meanders to home and the good hot coffee that is waiting for me. The few minutes after my walk when I wait for Kumar to finish are truly a treat. I make sure that I sit at a vantage point and watch all my co walkers. It is nice to see the various groups and the animated talking and discussion among the members. The feel at this point is also that of having accomplished a great mission and enjoying seeing others endure.
The mood during the drive back is one of elation. I say elation, because I get to spend the whole day not feeling guilty. I know that my morning walk will take care of the few extra calories I tuck in during that day. I also feel that the glucometer will be kind to me on that day. I make sure that I check my glucose level only on the days I go for my walk. Although I am fully aware of the world of good the walk does and even the fact that I enjoy my walk, the process of getting up in the morning is not at all pleasant. I just wait for the slightest excuse to avoid going. Sometimes I take consolation in the fact that I can instead use the Morning Walker. The Morning Walker is a machine, which promises a bag full of benefits. It just requires the user to live on the floor with the legs placed on the machine. When electricity is switched on the machine vibrates. This vibration is supposed to get all the organs to work over time and thus bring about the desired effect. I see no way as to how this can be a substitute for a brisk walk. There is no energy spent nor is there any effort put in. The machine is a sham and just a way for the lazy ones like me to get away.
I wish I could turn a robot in the morning hours as then there would be no question of laziness setting in. I really do want to go for the walk everyday. It is more than an exercise, it is that time of the day when peace and tranquility prevail, and it is that time of the day when one’s head is free from the tension and other goings on. It is indeed the best part of the day. I have to thank my walk for it is then that I get to see the dawn coming and thus enjoy the ways of the celestial world. The magical moment of the darkness turning to light is a wonderful transition and this is something I truly appreciate. Although dusk provides a similar moment, it is rarely relished as one is in the midst of the bustling world. I wonder if I would have ever gone for walks, if it were not a rider to good health. God’s ways are indeed wonderful. It is after all a small failure in my system that propels me to WALK. It is definitely his way of making a sluggish person like me to enjoy and appreciate his creations.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
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Early morning walks are a favourite time for me too. I especially love to see those sleepy kids waiting for the school bus, Moms hastily turning pages of their child's school books at exam time to make sure every word's been memorized while the child yawns and wishes he were back in bed(This is the Gulf, school buses begin arriving from 5.30am onwards depending on how far away the school is). Unfortunately it's sweltering summer now and I don't intend committing suicide. :)
ReplyDeleteI am a big fan of morning walks as well! It is the morning walk walks that makes my day as well.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally I had started the habit of morning exercise at Loyola. It is sad that they have stopped walkers from entering now. Considering that it is in the heart of the city, it used to be an awesome place for Chennaite walkers staying in the area.