A More Pressing Incentive

Let's talk about "No Brainers" for a moment. I needed incentive to do a little more walking, and really, I didn't have to do anything more than to look out to the street outside my house. There, my gas guzzling SUV sits hungry for another $100.00 fill-up, which by the way, won't even fill it up.  Having four kids, and the fact that we go to Yosemite every other year or so (luggage for six), we can't exactly go out and get a Smart Car. Unfortunately, even though there are grocery stores within walking distance (sort of) I'd have to have a rickshaw or something in order to get all the food back to my house. There are, however a number of errands that I can walk to, and let me tell ya', if gas prices don't improve, I'm going to be walking a LOT more. The problem that arises for me, is the matter of time. It is much faster to jump in the car for that one little item I need at the store, and in some cases I really don't have much choice. I have decided, however, that I am going to make more of an effort, when I do have the time (and reasonable energy), to walk wherever I need to go. It will save us money, and it won't seem so much like "exercise". Sometimes you have to fool yourself. If I tell myself I'm walking to get exercise, it's easier to say that I don't really feel like exercising today. If I tell myself that I'm saving gas money, then I really have no excuse. I'd rather know that this week I can actually pay all the bills. Funny how that works. Hopefully, if some day the gas prices (by some miracle) do go down, I'll be so used to walking places, it will just be a happy habit. One can hope. Until later friends...



Caren E. Salas

photo by William Salas