come, stay and let's talk. it's a good day to be alive
Running away is not an option.
You can face it or walk away,
carrying with you till you’re in your deathbed the notion
that you have chosen to look away.
There’s no practice.
There are formulas.
You choose among your options
and hope that you can bear the burden.
6.22.2025
Recognize the damage done by your pride.
If you can forgive yourself,
let it go.
You didn’t know.
Even if you are all by yourself,
even if you have taken a few steps backwards,
let’s keep going.
It might take awhile.
It might not be much.
But at least let’s keep it going.
There’s so much yet we have to see.
And who knows, someone may be waiting for you.
6.19.2025
I remember listening to Mitski when I used to work at a hospital call center in 2019. The call center was located in the middle of a suburban New England neighborhood. I remember that next to a newly built flat office building was a forest with a walking path and a river that separated the forest from the vast green front yards of castle-like houses. I used to walk through that forest during my lunch break in fall, winter, and spring. I used to listen to music as I walked alongside the river. I remember listening to Mitski for the first time.
It was 2019. The work was hard, and I was focusing my energy and attention on my studies every day to get into medical school. When too many people call the call center, my ears get tired of listening to a person crying, shouting, and cursing. My mind would slowly get heated with too many details to remember and too many details to forget. Filled with pent-up anger, sadness, and fear, I would pull out my Airpods, step out of the office through a glass door into the crisp, fresh air, and walk into the forest.
Listening to Mitski’s voice, you feel camaraderie. Her voice is passionate, defiant, and unapologetic. She does not depend on others; she searches for meaning within herself, clawing through the chaotic path of soul-searching. It’s not for the glory, not for fame, not for recognition, not for love. But rather a burning desire to understand the origin of her burning desire for life. When you are walking down a dark hallway alone, seeing someone else walking by themselves in a long dark hallway gives you irresistible resilience. That’s what I got from Mitski. We may be insignificantly small, but we have a burning desire for a lived experience. To get there, we will exhaust whatever we can. And when we look back, we will have no regrets.
4.23.2024
there is a vast field
you can walk as much as you want
and there will be more for you to walk
overarching it is the ocean blue sky
here and there a few white mushroom
clouds sprout like giant popcorns
reach out to them as much as you want
it will quietly stay with its grand compose
this is the world
and you are walking on it.
7.2.2023
it’s a song that I sing alone
some may choose to sing along
but I am the one who walk the walk
and bring the story to a song to talk
of the world I have seen with my eyes
and felt with my two hands held out wide.
so here is the song I write
it may sound too contrite
but hear me out;
you’ll love what I’ve got.
6.30.2023
During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, most of us would admit to gaining a pound or two because of staying at home and restrictions on going to the gym. But did you realize that just taking a walk around your neighborhood can have a beneficial effect on your health? This post will describe the health effects of simple walking.
Walking is a type of cardiovascular activity that increases blood flow and reduces blood pressure. With increased blood flow, oxygen and hormones like endorphins can circulate throughout the body.
Walking is different from standing still. A 2020 study comparing quasi-static standing and walking found that while standing increases the likelihood of lower leg swelling and muscle fatigue, walking did not.
Walking is different from running. A 2006 study investigating the physiological and kinematic difference between the two forms of location found the key difference is that of the timing of each phase of locomotion.
The appropriate walking pace is a metabolic equivalent (MET) of 3.0 – 6.0, or 2.5 – 4.2 mph.
Before the walk: before you set out to walk, a few steps of preparation can make your walk more enjoyable.
During the walk: Mayo Clinic outlines simple tips on how to walk effectively:
After the walk, rehydrate or have a light snack, such as a banana, to refuel. Write about any thoughts that you had during your walk.
Improving Cognitive Level & Mood
Walking, in general, is more beneficial than not walking. However, walking outdoors is recommended compared to walking indoors. An ECG study conducted in 2018 showed that walking outdoors instead of indoors has a higher likelihood and more extended period of “meditative state.” In 2020, another study compared physical exercise with walking in nature and found that walking in nature lowered cortisol (stress hormone) levels and improved mood.
Preventative Effect
Studies have found protective effects of walking by reducing the risk of diabetes, stroke, and cardiovascular disease. The 2018 Physical Activity Guideline for Americans recommends walking at least 150-300 minutes(2.5h-5h)/week. Walking can help improve body weight, teeth cavities, and diabetes by lowering cravings for sweet things like chocolate. It can even influence the gene expressions related to obesity to reduce the likelihood of obesity, according to a 2006 study. American Cancer Society found that women who walked> 7 hours per week had a 14% lower risk of breast cancer than those who walked < 3 hours per week. Another study showed that those who walked 20 minutes daily for at least 5 days a week had 43% lower sick days.
Walking is a simple activity that many people can engage in. There are a few steps that you can take to make this experience more efficient and pleasurable. It is one of the examples where you can find significant health effects with gradual effort. Try taking a walk today!
Disclaimer: This web post is for information purposes. If you have medical needs, please contact your primary care physician.
it’s a small plastic bag of sour jellies
that brings me so much soft comfort
I can look over sharper pieces on the street.
It’s a fading smooth mango sunset
that brings sweetness to my eyes
I can look through the darkness.
once in a while,
I look at the small things
to walk this walk.
5.24.2023
let go of ‘what could be’
focus on ‘what is’
do not let your heart be moved
by flashy titles and roles
take another swing of your pick
at the mountain
your way is in front of you
and your way there.
walk the walk.
you’ll be fine.
4.26.2023
it’s been a long walk.
And the end is no where in sight.
I stare at the stars,
and feel where the direction is.
it’s a very long walk,
but I hope to get there one day.
and along the way,
hopefully I will meet people
who will share my journey with me.
it’s this way of walk
that I have to follow.
4.20.2023
it’s a walk free of distraction
neither fame nor shame shall discourage
but brutal honesty and endless effort
will make the way for a life
avoid as many traps as possible
and lead ways for new possibilities.
when you get a chance,
try to walk this walk.
it’ll be hard, but it’ll feel good afterwards
Ralph with Coffee 
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