The Spirituality of Walking

Walking. That is one perk of living in the center of town. All-important places of convergence seem to be a walking distance – Just 5 to 15 minutes away. This peculiar gift allowed me to appreciate and even love walking from home to point B.

Aside from its practical health benefits, I see walking as a spiritual exercise. Literally and figuratively, it grounds and exposes you to the reality of everyday street life. It’s just you and the city. There is neither wind shield nor metal doors that stands in the way.

In my case, I usually take the Tirso Neri sidewalk all the way to the new gate of Xavier. In this 5-minute walk, I just turn right and see the bare footed kids with torn clothes playing in Divisoria, I turn left and see high school students munching in their Big macs and zipping cold coke. A few seconds after that, I cross Velez Street. I make sure that the red light is on but of course you know that in this place, it is never an assurance. But I take the risk anyway. When the light moves to red, I cross and by God’s grace, I slow down even when I see a big Toyota rolling in. True, it is in this few seconds of crossing the street that I walk and think like a law student. I murmur to my head a litany of legal jargon such as my right of way and this is the law, and it is in my side, and there is presumption of negligence in their part and I can get damages. Well, this is just for a few seconds though. 

Sometimes I get lucky, I cross the street with the help of volunteer traffic aids who gives great shaming gestures to those who couldn’t understand the difference among red, yellow or green.

As I go pass Jollibee, there is this sitting beggar (due to polio) who has become friends with street sellers there. He has this peculiar high tone to his voice. I give, sometimes I don’t but not to my surprise, he carries a cellphone with him maybe to call his friends when someone tries to nab his collections.

Finally reaced the gates of Xavier. I enter into a magical and different place - an enclave at the heart of the city free from the scenes and risks I passed by. I buy food, eat, and study as I wait for my classes to begin.

The spirituality of walking – this is what I call it.

Urban life has made us islands in ourselves. We go out from the security of our homes and cars to rush towards our destination, our offices, our schools, even our churches. We don’t look sideways, we don’t look down, and we just look straight ahead most of the time hurrying so we can get back inside our bubble.

Divisoria represents the challenge we face as a society, or as a city I suppose. Whole families sleep on cartons, trash piled up at the corners and people disregarding basic rules of the road. Is this because we just look straight ahead towards our destination? If the weather permits, take a walk and see what we have become.