Driving vs. Walking

It’s been sometime since I’ve walked a decent distance. The most is walking from the car to the door of my destination. Somehow, there was a chance to walk more on Tuesday. Refreshing (and sweating as well!) What I’m about to say is obvious not very profound but brought to new light again!

Walking is different from driving. It’s slower and I got to hear more sounds around me – whether it’s the breeze blowing past my ear, or the birds singing away, and the noise of people chatting and cars driving pass me. I feel the warmth of the sun on my face (thus the sweat!), I smell the rubbish people scatter along the pathway to my in-laws house from the Father’s House (BLC premises) – it’s only 5 minutes walk. Read a notice on the board of the nearby mosque and was struck by the amount of lectures planned out everyday for the muslims during this Ramadan (fasting) season. Walked past the Secondary School after the mosque and thought about walking in someday to really have a look.

In air-con car I drive, I’m sheltered from all this. I’m faster and yet more isolated from my surroundings. It’s as if I’m in a mini-world of my own disconnected from the realities outside. If I put on the radio, the music would even drown out any possibility of hearing or feeling anything outside. the most is I’d get a jolt if someone “horns” me loudly (in frustration). I’d be on the road but miss the little paths like the one I past by.

I feel we often are in a “driving” mode rather than “walking” mode in life. We need both I guess … (there is a time for everything) but the fact is – we “walk” too little. “walking” has values that “driving” doesn’t provide. And it times where we are so “driven” by all sorts of demands (often unrelated to the KINGDOM agenda or even distracting us), “walking” allows space, time, and possibilities for the SPIRIT to speak. More I think starting for us to be ready to LISTEN.