A city girl’s quest to chase serenity

The alarm goes off and an ascending, loud noise wakes me up. The struggle with my beloved sleep ends as soon as the sights of the park begin to beckon me. Fueled by the refreshing thoughts of taking a walk with nature all around me, I quickly get up and begin to get ready. For someone like me who doesn’t ever compromise on sleep, no, not even during Navratri, going for walks at 5:30 in the morning is quite an unexpected task to take up. The habit of falling asleep at the stroke of 10 as a toddler seems to have in some way been with me till now. A relaxing 8 hrs of sleep is still a priority for me over any other activity. A series of recent events made me accommodate morning walks into my daily routine. (even if that meant to compromise on few hours of sleep)

On a break from work. I was looking for a change in lifestyle. Something that would not remind me of the computer screen or the deadlines, or the pay slips was what I was looking for. A city life tends to be extremely mechanical. Around us we have, not snow capped mountains to look at or a rippling river to make the evenings musical. We don’t stop to admire a blooming flower or gaze at the stars and the Moon in the sky. Around us are, not lush green fields with blossoming trees and shrubs. We wake up often to the sounds of heavy transport, alarm clocks, doorbells and street side commotion. While commuting, gas emitting vehicles fill up the air and rows and rows of concrete structures obstruct the view. A major chunk of the population spends their time within the four walls of the office premises and breathe conditioned air. In my opinion we live in the truest sense only on the weekends when there is no worry about deadlines, promotions, salary and competition. I would miss my holidays with family at hill stations a lot. At my desk, I would often daydream about sipping a cup of coffee while admiring the distant mountains or relax by the side of a waterfall with a bowl of maggi to savor. Wanderlust! I wanted more of such experiences.

In my city, I love the Queen’s Way which is adorned by trees all along the road and you also come across groups of youngsters enjoying a game of football. That place could make me smile. I decided to utilize my break and to begin with walks.

Morning walks have done quite a bit to satiate my urge to travel. An hour and a half surrounded by greenery does good to my eyes, soul and body. I feel fresher and calmer after a walk of almost 3.6 kms. While walking, I listen to music and simply absorb what the nature has to offer – fresh air, clear blue sky and the beautiful, blooming flowers around me. It makes me feel alive! A sense of accomplishment also dawns over me as I complete my rounds and sit for a while at the park bench to relax. Memories of my childhood also come back to me, when my uncle would take my cousins and me for walks at the Central Park. I remember how amused I would be by the pagodas!

Morning walks are the best way to experience mornings and to witness your city’s different side when city folks are not yet awake. It’s wonderful how a walk can cure my wanderlust, make me experience serenity, help me achieve my fitness goals and also bring back those carefree childhood memories! It’s challenging to wake up early morning, but once I’m there, I don’t care about it. 🙂

Here are some pictures that I got to click at the park –