Most mornings Janine and I get up at 5:20am to take the dogs for a walk.
Our usual route is across the horse paddocks and up a track that leads to the top of Mt Taylor, which is right behind our house.
As we walk up the hill, we meet the regulars who say g’day as each walks up or down the track in their own meditative state. It is a great way to start the day, stretch the legs and gather your thoughts for the day.
Some days there are bitterly cold winds on top of the mountain and we turn and head back down as quickly as possible. On other mornings, the scene is just spectacular and you just have to stop and watch the sun break over the distant hills.
Friday was different; we stopped for quite a bit longer than normal. It was Ian’s 80th birthday. Ian is one of the regulars.
Turning 80 is a milestone, but if you have ever walked up Mt Taylor, you have to celebrate with a guy who has been doing it every day for a quarter of a century.
Going for a walk in the morning is a fantastic form of exercise not only for the body, but also for the mind, the spirit and you will meet other local people and find a new sense of community in this odd modern world we live in.