Long Walks On Leafy Streets

6/22/2013 Ossendrecht, Netherlands (Thanks to Rama Satish)
It is nice to be up in the morning when the birds are calling. Although lately I have been getting up late, I must say I prefer being up early in the morning. I think one feels more refreshed when one gets up with the sun and the birds. It fills one with a certain positive energy for the day that is much better and longer lasting than what you get from drinking coffee. [I am not a coffee drinker but I can see the appeal of starting the day early with a cup of coffee]. I have also noticed that, when I go camping, I sleep much better and wake up early without any effort. I guess when you are closer to nature your body also is more in tune with nature. Research has shown that artificial light has the effect of disturbing our sleep rhythms and decreasing the levels of a hormone called melatonin.
The academic year ended in the beginning of May. I am not teaching in the summer and consequently my schedule is flexible. As I wrote in the previous post when it comes to my research I can work from anywhere.
Although having a regular routine and getting up early in the morning at a certain time is a wonderful thing it is also good to have the freedom to determine your own schedule. That is one of the many things I like about summer. It is a precious time of the year that I enjoy very much but also a critical time for getting research and other projects done for which one doesn’t have time during the fall and spring semesters.
This summer especially I am trying hard to finish a project that I have been working on for several years now, although not continuously. So it has been a little different in the sense that I have been spending more of my time working. Normally I will not use the term “working” to describe thinking about mathematics. It is something that I enjoy. But I must say the pressure to get something done does make it feel a bit like work this time around.
That is why it is so refreshing to go hiking or biking or just for a walk and enjoy the company of trees and birds. I led a hike in Rock Creek Park for Sierra Club last month. If you click on the little picture on the top of this page and then click on “Nature Lovers Meetup” you can see details and photos of that hike. I also went on a couple of bike rides. One of them was organized by Lori for the said Meetup. We went over the recently opened Wilson Bridge. The views from the bridge of the Potomac river and the surrounding areas were spectacular. We also got to see some turkey vultures up close. These are large birds and for some reason many of them were hanging out on the banks of the river just under the bridge. Perhaps the current washes some dead animals and fish onto the shore at certain places?
Last week as I was walking home from the Takoma metro station I ran into an old friend. I used to see Mike when I was going drumming with a group named Rhythm Workers Union. Mike is a drummer and guitar player and he had just closed up the Electric Maid, a small place for music and musicians, across from the station. We chatted a little bit about old times. He said the Rhythm Workers group had disbanded but he still keeps in touch with his friends. He also talked about his newfound love for nature and for being in the woods. It was nice to chat with him. Mike is a free spirit who makes his living by playing music near metro stations. He said lately he had been making a living as a dog walker. Talking to him, I felt a weight being taken off my shoulder. It really brought home the feeling of the world being my playground and made my worries about work seem trifling.
Being one with nature and the world is tremendously liberating for the mind and soul. The birds and animals, they don’t need someone to give them a job or finish certain tasks under deadlines. Although life can be difficult for them, they are able to get what they need from the earth. This is a big planet in a big universe. Let us enjoy life in it and all the beautiful things it has to offer and count our blessings for having the opportunity to live this life.

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