|
by some very simple changes in my life?
All this came about by walking. Albeit, I did have some fortuitous circumstances. I live close to downtown. The city I live in has done some wonderful work to help reconnect with its creeks. I now walk downtown to buy groceries, shop, go to the bank, post office, library, and drug store. I now walk to my office which takes 15 to 20 minutes. This simple act of walking has brought me all the gifts I hve listed above. The first step in these changes occurred several weeks ago, when I walked from my house to Liberty Bell Plaza in downtown Walnut Creek. This is a 5 to 10 minute walk. When I approached the fountain at the plaza, I saw that three new signs had been put up on the base of the fountain: San Ramon Creek, Las Trampas Creek, and Walnut Creek. At that moment it all came together for me. It brought together things that I had seen and learned over several weeks. First, when Liberty Bell Plaza was remodeled several months ago, they put in the fountain and three curving walkways leading to the fountain. Second, several weeks ago they completed remodeling of an overlook where Walnut Creek comes out from underneath the city on Broadway to give people a better view of the creek. At the same time, the city put up educational signs and signs guiding people to a walk along Walnut Creek. What I realized when I saw the three new signs on the fountain with the names of San Ramon, Las Trampas, and Walnut Creek is that the city had provided a way for its citizens to reconnect with the creeks that flow underneath the city. The fountain marked the location where the Las Trampas and San Ramon Creeks come together to create Walnut Creek. The serpentine pathways represented the two creeks that flow together to give birth to Walnut Creek. The fountain marks the birthplace of Walnut Creek. I was very excited. Liberty Bell Plaza with its fountain now honored and gave respect to the three creeks that are its Place in the natural world, its Place on Earth. What a wonderful experience is is to reconnect with the natural origins, the Place on Earth that is the source of your community. It is a spiritual experience. This inspired me to seek out the places where the San Ramon and Las Trampas Creeks go underneath the city. The story here, very briefly, is that the Army Corps of Engineers covered over the creeks and built a storm drain to prevent the creeks from flooding downtown during heavy rains. I located where the San Ramon Creek went underneath city streets. It goes underneath one of two buildings that make up the Macy's store in Broadway Plaza Shopping Center. Las Trampas Creek goes underneath the other Macy's building. Finding these places inspired me to walk up along San Ramon Creek to my office which was located in a building near the creek. From that experience, it was a simple step to the idea of walking to my office and walking along the creek along the way. At other times I will take the Walnut Creek "Creek Walk" which is now marked by signs. Making these simple changes: walking downtown to do my banking, shopping, visit the post office; walking the "Creek Walk" for relaxation and to go to my drumming and Tai Chi class; walking to my office along San Ramon Creek--these simple acts of walking transformed my life and brought me all the gifts (and gifts to Pachamama)listed above. Walking brought me one (or more) steps closer to living a sustainable lifestyle that is healthy for me and health for the Earth.
|
