What happens the first time people walk together?
These events seem to make strong imprints. There are many people I'm close with; I don't necessarily remember our first common conversation, car-, bus- or train-ride, our first mutual laughter, etc. I do, in really most cases, remember the first time I walked with someone.
This is why I like to walk. It's a simple and powerful way to engender a feeling of commonality in people -- even if done in silence. There's an unavoidable sensation of togetherness, unified in bodily/sensory activity and a shared mental space. Let's go for a walk!
The body language of a walk is quite telling. How do we pace ourselves in relation to each other? What gait comes most naturally? What's the arms' job? Where are the eyes pointed? How is breath happenning? All of these things, though not processed cognitively, must surely register at some level. All of these things are being evaluated by an underlying faculty, in turn determining comfort level and the range of world-relationship-possibilities.
One can often tell, with just a bit of reflection after a first walk, much about the future course of a relationship with another.
posted at: 18:39 | path: | permanent link to this entry
