06/10/2026
My dad had a simple practice on walks.
Every person we passed, he would look up, smile, and say hello. One day, I asked him why, and he said: "You never know. One day, that stranger just might become one of your closest friends."
I still do this on every walk.
So on a recent walk at Downs Park, I smiled at every person I passed.
Almost no one looked up.
One couple walked side-by-side, each on their own phone, heads completely down, missing the path, the trees, and, honestly, each other.
It made me stop and think, a little sad because I know that pull. The comfort of the familiar. The groove we follow without realizing we are in one.
In yoga, we call this Samskara (sahm-SKAH-rah) the deeply worn patterns that choose for us when we are not paying attention.
This week's question:
Is this a choice or is this a groove?
