Walking Stories
A few weeks ago I participated in a 39-mile walk to support breast cancer research and detection. I walked on my own and looked forward to the hours of “free” time to mull over the various life questions that had been bubbling in my mind.
As I walked, I began to listen to what those around me were saying. I heard stories of a friend’s wedding gone bad, a mom fighting breast cancer with the help of her friends and family and a husband describing to his buddy what it’s really like to live in a house with breast cancer. I listened and found myself forming silent questions.
If you’re a walker (or a runner, I’d guess), you know the meditative quality that comes from a repetitive motion. Something happens to people when they talk while walking. The combined activity stimulates the brain in ways different than engaging in a single activity.
The honesty and rawness of the conversations I was hearing had the same qualities of many of the ethnographies I’ve experienced as a part of the Axen Research team. The same banter interspersed with life-altering revelations; the same brand of well-thought-out personal truths juxtaposed with universal expectations.
Recognizing the honesty and depth of the personal stories people were sharing with one another in an event dedicated to a particular cause was moving. Realizing that veritable strangers share themselves with us everyday, with the same depth of emotion, the same honesty and the same passion, in the research we do, filled me with intense amazement and gratitude.