Health Notes
A column written by 
St. Paul’s Parish Nurse, Mary Horn, RN

How many of you have gone for a walk with no time constraints and nothing that has to be accomplished?  You are not counting steps or heart rate or measuring time. You are just enjoying the scenes in front of you and noticing details you might not have seen on a more hurried day—the people, the buildings, nature.  I recently learned about the concept of flaneuring.

Flaneuring is an old French word that embodies the concepts of strolling, loitering, and ambling without a purpose.  It involves observing more than participating, exploring what is available to discover but not acting to make change.  The benefit to you is much the same as other healthy living concepts like meditation, mindfulness, and even prayer.  It can bring you peace, a lowered blood pressure,a happier feeling, and more joy in your life.

So what are you waiting for? Stick a phone in your pocket for safety, but talking on or looking at it are strictly off limits. So are head phones. Play a game--perhaps every time you see someone with white sneakers, turn right at the next intersection.  Embrace the new or unusual.