I must admit, I do not work out as much as I should. Occasionally, I’ll spend 30 all-too-long minutes on the elliptical, but I like to avoid exercising as much as possible. Luckily, I get plenty of daily cardio because I’m always running to catch up to my friends.
I’m a slow walker and despite my long legs and boundless amounts of energy, I typically struggle to walk at the same pace as the people with whom I’m walking. Going anywhere with my friends results in them leisurely strolling a few feet ahead and me sprinting to keep up with them. They wait patiently for me at store entrances, outside of class, or on the other side of the street and, at least once a day, someone accuses me of being “the slowest walker in the world.” I never defend myself because a.) They’re probably right, and b.) I’m struggling too much to catch my breath and respond effectively. And, even though I could stand to up my pace and keep a steady stride with my peers, I’d rather write this essay in defense of myself and my fellow slow walkers.
I walk slowly because I take in the sights, sounds, and smells around me. I take my time admiring window displays of clothes I cannot afford and smelling food truck hot dogs I’m too scared to eat. I live in one of the most vibrant, eclectic cities in the world, and it’s my every right to be able to walk slowly enough to appreciate the historic monuments, and dodge the strange man muttering to himself in front of the Chinatown Panera.
I walk slowly because sometimes my feet hurt and I lack the willpower to push through the pain. Those riding boots are cute, but if I walk in them for too long, they start to crush my pinky toe with the power of a thousand elephants. And then I have to limp everywhere, so I’m walking even slower than before.
And finally, I walk slowly because life is too short to rush through the everyday. While you fast walkers might be sprinting down the sidewalk to get to your Intro to Sociology class early, I am taking a moment to relax and breathe and enjoy the hustle and bustle of campus life. So much of my days are spent walking from class to class, I might as well make each walk as enjoyable and relaxing as possible. Life moves too quickly to walk at a moderate-to-fast speed, so why should I change who I am to keep up with my fast-walking friends?
I’m happy being a slow walker. It might make me late to some classes and my friends might have to wait for me to catch up to them, but walking slowly is part of who I am. So, my fellow slow walkers, let's all just embrace the fact that a walk that should only take three minutes sometimes takes 10.
