I

June 21st

TAKE A WALK

“We should take wandering outdoor walks, so that the mind might

be nourished and refreshed by the open air and deep breathing.”

—SENECA, ON TRANQUILITY OF MIND, 17.8

n a notoriously loud city like Rome, it was impossible to get much peace
and quiet. The noises of wagons, the shouting of vendors, the hammering
of a blacksmith—all filled the streets with piercing violence (to say nothing
of the putrid smells of a city with poor sewage and sanitation). So
philosophers went on a lot of walks—to get where they needed to go, to
clear their heads, to get fresh air.
Throughout the ages, philosophers, writers, poets, and thinkers have
found that walking offers an additional benefit—time and space for better
work. As Nietzsche would later say: “It is only ideas gained from walking
that have any worth.”
Today, make sure you take a walk. And in the future, when you get
stressed or overwhelmed, take a walk. When you have a tough problem to
solve or a decision to make, take a walk. When you want to be creative,
take a walk. When you need to get some air, take a walk. When you have a
phone call to make, take a walk. When you need some exercise, take a long
walk. When you have a meeting or a friend over, take a walk together.
Nourish yourself and your mind and solve your problems along the way.