Walking on a dream
- Martyn Foster
- Aug 29
- 2 min read
How can I explain? It keeps me sane.
This past week marked the 125th anniversary of the death of German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche – which I’ve written about previously. Nietzsche was fond of a walk or two, and whilst I might not possess the Engadine Lakes of Sils and Silvaplana in Switzerland like he had, I still have bodies of water to ruminate as I meander around them.
What is it about lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, oceans, beaches, estuaries, inlets, that have this effect on us? Obviously, water is the source of life, but the fact that we have so many different names for so many different bodies of water must mean something, surely? I mean, why bother categorising them all, otherwise?
I make no secret of my joy in connecting with nature, there’s something not only incredibly beautiful about it, but also amazingly soul replenishing too. It’s tremendous for the creative stimulation – I feel I can throw ideas at it, and it soaks them up before throwing them back, usually in a more understanding manner. Ultimately, “all truly great thoughts are conceived while walking”, said Nietzsche.
The last 18 months or so have been particularly difficult for my mother – which I wrote about in “Caring for others and caring for yourself” – and now 6 months into post-surgery rehab, the walks I go on with her are not only essential for my mum, but, as I’m finding, me as well. My mother may not be able to walk such distances unaided ever again, but the miracle is we can at least do some in part, and that beats being confined to a life of pain within bricks and mortar.
Without these walks in and around the harbour and inlet, or along the beach, I guarantee I (and my mum) would go insane. No doubt in my mind that would be the case. I think it’s a realisation that we’re human, all too human.
I’m reminded of that scene in The Shawshank Redemption where Andy is discussing with Red where he’d go once he got out. Red describes how something as big as the Pacific Ocean would scare him to death, but not Andy. I think it speaks to the adventurous nature of the human spirit; some of us lead, some of us follow, some of us are not even interested. Do you want to have the adventure of your life?
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