Anywhere Is In Walking Distance

here’s a spot on the dock at Beaver Lake where, if you squint, the far shore looks like it’s about a stone’s throw away. It is not. Anyone who has ever tried to skip a rock across that water knows exactly how that experiment ends: with a small plop and a bruised ego.

But here’s the thing about distance. It’s mostly a question of time, and we tend to forget that part. Annette Elliott put it simply: “Anywhere is in walking distance if you have enough time.” We love that line because it takes the scary out of far away.

Think about the goals you’ve quietly tucked into the “someday” drawer. The book you’d like to write. The garden you’d like to plant. The skill you’d like to learn, or the spare room you’d like to finally finish painting. Standing at the starting line, every one of them looks like a trip that requires a plane, a map, and a very good snack. Up close, each one is just a long series of ordinary steps.

Nobody crosses the state in a single stride. You walk to the end of the driveway first. Then to the corner. Then, because you’re already out here and the weather is nice, a little farther.

Of course, “enough time” is doing some heavy lifting in that quote. It’s a gentle reminder that you’re allowed to take the scenic route, and that slow is not the same as stuck. (Stuck is when you sit down and refuse to put your shoes on. Slow is when you’re still moving, just at a pace that lets you notice the sunrise.)

So whatever feels far away this week, try measuring it in steps instead of miles. Take one today. Take another tomorrow. The far shore will still be there when you arrive. It’s patient like that.

Happy Wednesday from Beaver Lake Books.