Mall Walking

 I went walking at the nearby mall this morning before work.  It's a nice flat place to walk, and it's not freezing cold like a walk outside would have been today.  My bones don't like cold.

Let me warn you, one comment about mall walking being an elderly activity, and I will be stopping by your house for a coffee and some discussion about your rank ageism and ableism.  But I digress.

At any rate, yes, I went mall walking.  It doesn't open until 11, which is a nuisance, but hopefully that will change over time.  There were definitely moments of nostalgia. This mall was built in 1971 and was the first mall in our area.  At the time, there were stores for everyone, unlike now.  Many of the stores are aimed at the 17-25 crowd these days, which in a way is odd, since I would think they'd order online. 

When I got married, this mall was the perfect place to go.  We could have a family night out with the kids for next to nothing.  We'd stop at Kay-Bee Toy, they'd each get an action figure, they were usually 2 for $5.  We'd have to weigh ourselves on the scale at GNC.  Orange Julius was a huge favorite. It was fun to see what each little booth in the middle of the mall had.  Anything our family needed?  Sears of course. Jeans, office attire for me, winter coats, lawn mowers and even getting the car fixed. One stop shopping! Once we were tired of walking around, we'd all get a bite to eat at Friendly's - always a treat! Sometimes we'd go to York Steak House instead, sheer bliss! My oldest always got chicken tenders, but our younger son never ordered off the kids' menu, he had to have the steak tips with onions!  Hey, the kid knew what he liked.  And, oh, that strawberry pie made me sooooo happy. 

It's been a long time since I've been to the mall. Any mall, really.   Even before the pandemic, it wasn't exactly somewhere I frequented anymore.  Admittedly, ordering things online has taken away the need for places like this. That has good points and bad points.  Convenience is a wonderful thing, and it was important to stay in during the worst of the pandemic, but overall, I feel we have lost something in our push-button world, even before Covid 19 changed the world. The fun and wonder of ordinary trips outside of the house, being able to see and touch things before we buy, not having EVERY SINGLE THING available with a single click.  Meeting friends without needing to spend a gazillion dollars. Running into people you knew. There's no enjoyment and wonder for me in today's experience, I feel almost jaded and frequently overwhelmed.  I simply do not need SO MUCH STUFF and SO MANY OPTIONS.  Does that sound peculiar? It's a very familiar feeling for me, and is stronger as time goes on. 

People have been mall walking for many years now.  If you're older or have medical issues as I do, the mall is a great place to walk.  It's level, safe, and climate controlled. Some places even had groups that met for walking together. Friends would meet daily for walk and conversation. Malls would open early as a courtesy.  The mall near us used to do that. That all went away with the pandemic.  Now, each state and city is making their own decisions about opening back up.  I find myself wondering if mall walking will become a thing of the past.   Will this place last much longer, or will we lose it?  It's not as if everyone can afford to join a gym, and how many gyms have inside tracks to walk side by side with friends as so many do?

I walked by myself today. I made two full circuits around the entire mall.  Not far for some, but for someone in their third decade with rheumatoid arthritis, it's pretty cool!  I was happy for the random strangers I could say hello to, like the nice lady killing time waiting for her husband to get out of an appointment over at the doctor's office next door. It was nice to see all the stores, even if so many are aimed at teens.  I saw a few new ones that might be fun to check out sometime. I liked the Godzilla tee I saw at one shop, and the huge metal owls at the other!  I enjoyed reminiscing about being here with my family. 

It was just nice to be out, doing something that my body, for the moment, was enjoying and allowing me to do. Walking. Breathing. Thinking. My pace.  It was lovely and peaceful. No particular goal, other than to literally walk in circles for a little while.  By the end of the second time around my ankles were telling me that was quite enough, so I headed for the car, and home for a sandwich and tea before my shift 1:00 to 9:30.

Mall walking.  Some may not ever consider it.  But I rather enjoyed it.  I want to go back a couple of times a week moving forward until it's warmer out and I can walk outside.