Wandering

Wandering. 

As a child I used to love to wander. Of course, it was a different time back then, and children were allowed to wander outside the confines of their backyard. I would wander home from school a different way just to experience something new. I would wander through an unknown neighborhood on my bicycle, all the while  assuring my best friend that I knew the way back home. I would wander through creeks, woods and vacant lots always searching for the possibilities they could bring. 

It seemed, though, as time went by and I entered adulthood my wandering became less a part of my life. I suppose I was too busy trying to take care of my responsibilities to allow it to be  front and center. Anyway, time did not seem to be my own during that part of my life. 

Now that I am retired, I'm finding more time for wandering, although it looks much different. Browsing the stacks at the library or the bookstore is a way to entice my curiosity. Digging through the shelves at an antique or thrift store results in never knowing what might show up to delight. Taking a different route through my town always leads to some new construction not present the week before. 

I also remember a time when my husband used to love to wander on his motorcycle. One evening I got a call from him in  Kansas. He had started the day looking for a place to get a haircut and had ended up in Kansas. After all it is just past Oklahoma! Oh, the joys of wandering. 

If you have not been making time for wandering in your life, you might want to consider it. It's definition is, "to walk or move in a leisurely, casual, or aimless way."

"Not all those who wander are lost." J.R.R. Tolkien