Walking after Dark

In many parts of the world families and couples and even young people take an after dinner walk for entertainment.  It is the same in all vibrant communities : you see people walking and talking, sometimes stoping to hear music or take in a view.  In the Northwest it gets very dark and quite cold after dinner, and cultivating this culture sometimes seems challenging.  Thank goodness my family is cultivating a habit of walking.  For the past month we found ourselves walking to see the seasonal  light displays.  It was a great motivator for getting out of the house after dark.   This is a great time of the day as a family to connect and to create memories.  It is even better when you sense community and see others out on the streets as well.

Ways to make the walk the safest includes having had practice walking past driveways and across intersections as cars are often speeding home.  It is also important to choose routes that seem safe.  Our boys enjoy walking with their umbrellas when it is raining and they are always thoroughly bundled.   Things to search for in the night, is to see the phases of the moon.  Notice whether you can see stars.  See if you observe things that may or may not have been present the last time you went on the walk.   If you feel like it bring cookies to a neighbor or plan to take a walk with friends.