I used to think walking was what I did to get somewhere. Then I started treating it as the thing itself.

No destination required. Same neighborhood, same route, eyes up. Just walking and noticing — the particular green of someone’s front door, the sound of traffic two blocks over, the fact that your shoulders were up around your ears and you hadn’t noticed.

You don’t need a cushion. You need thirty minutes and a willingness to be a little bored until it gets interesting.