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I've covered quite some miles in my car in this past week, driving around the region for various reasons. And it's been enjoyable. The weather has been fine, the routes clear and familiar, the roads well maintained (on the whole) and the traffic free flowing!
When I'm driving without any stress or pressure, it's a time for thought and inspiration. I usually have voices on the radio quietly accompanying me. And my mind wanders, whether prompted by something being discussed in the programme or sent on a tangent of an altogether different subject.
In an article this weekend, the novelist David Nicholls describes how he has found walking to be his way of gaining clarity and insight. (And also a time to listen to audio books, rather delightfully sharing that a 500 page book is a 50 mile walk.)
His latest novel, called 'You Are Here' (released later this month with my review to follow next weekend) focuses on friends walking from one side of the country to the other. It is something David Nicholls himself has discovered rather late in life, he says - this experience of taking a journey, stripped away of all the usual distractions of daily life, focusing entirely on getting from A to B through your own efforts.
Another new book details the therapeutic, healing properties of walking as three men undertook just such a trek to process some very real, tragic recent events in each of their lives.
'Three Dads Walking' is a powerful read. It's uplifting, inspiring and full of hope but it is also a stark reminder of how young people can be so devastatingly troubled. For these three men, walking and talking together, through the British countryside, gave them an opportunity to process their grief and raise awareness of their cause.
We'll be meeting and talking together in Framlingham this week for the monthly book group at Ottie and the Bea. Do come along if you can.
And our Woodbridge book group meets the following Monday on a slightly-earlier-than-usual date for our monthly discussion. We'll be talking about 'For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy on My Little Pain'. If you're planning on coming along, please let me know. I hope to see you soon!
Thank you for reading.