As I was walking today, I experienced a couple things that inspired a few of my sense to higher places.  As a stroke of creative genius (or in a fit of over-inflated ego), I captured pictures of a couple of things my senses constantly seeking….

Smell

Since we lived in Ohio, I have missed the smell of lilac.  And, while I cannot say for certain this is a lilac, it smelled LOTS like one.  It may have only temporarily hijacked my sense because my lilac-sensor was out of practice.  Regardless, whatever it was, I enjoyed it.  The aroma/scent/smell tapped into a part of my brain I have not visited for awhile.  I pictured our house in Ohio with the lilacs on the east side of the house.  I pictured my nose stretching into their blooms with my eyes closed–trying to capture the moment a little longer.

Sight

All parts of the country (and world I am guessing) have their native wild flowers.  I don’t necessarily love just this flower while forgoing all others.  While working at my landscaping job many years ago, I took great pride in trying to memorize all of the names of the flowers sitting in the green houses at the nursery.  (My pronunciation may not have been right, but I could spell them.)   I love natures color.  And, since spring is the season worthy of queen status, I love this time of year the most.  (The wet Texas spring has certainly helped remind me how much I love it.)

Sound (No pictures here!)

When I walk, I don’t have the ear buds in.  I just like listening to whatever is there to distract me.  If I want to talk to myself, I don’t have to talk over any music.  If I want to listen to the birds or the breeze or the the bicyclist/walkers who I walk past, I can give them a smile and “hello” without trying to convince them the music (or whatever the buds are delivering) are more important-I can try to be sincerely interested in them.

Touch

A bit of a stretch here—I am not in the habit of picking up things or crawling while on my walk.  During a portion of the walk, the rains has gifted me with a partially flooded path.  As I walk thru this part of the path, I tiptoe or pick my feel up to try and avoid the wet impact my normal gait would create.  When the splash occurs, the droplets briefly run down my leg.  I only feel the first one–my mind has gone gone back to a time when walking barefoot through the water and splashing were more acceptable.  Everyone should have some memories involving water and unexpected wetness.

Taste

For some reason, I am not in the habit of picking up things and tasting them along my walk either….  Today was no exception.  Today, I had an early-stage cold coming on.  I have been brainwashed into believing using Zinc lozenges is a way to minimize the length of the colds uninvited stay.  Although my sense of taste is generally left out of the walking experience, today I tasted every bit of medicine (homeopathic, but still medicine)  before it was swallowed on its journey to whatever zinc does when it is invited by way of an oral invasion.

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Although not explicitly stated, this blog post is meant to be a little “thank you” to God.  I am blessed to have each of my senses, my thoughts, and experiences.  I don’t have to rely on a walk to be reminded of these things, but it is a pretty good catalyst.   When I separate myself from the computer and most of my electronics (the phone that almost never rings does accompany me), I gain perspective.   I am reminded of my size in comparison to the rest of creation, and I am reminded of my Creator.  So, the question is, “Do I really like to walk OR do I really just like to use all of my sense to carry on a dialogue with my Maker?”