This slide features a photo I took this summer in Cannon Beach, Oregon (USA). I've always been attracted to the ocean, perhaps because I grew up in a house right on the beach. But for me, natural settings like this beach above are spiritual places — there is just something there in nature that causes one to stop, pause, and reflect. Even in this picture you can see people in the distance who have ventured out for a walk and are now standing taking it all in. Like the runner, perhaps they have no thoughts in particular, but on some level they surely are thankful and touched by the majesty of nature. My favorite place to run is on this beach and others like it. Running is not just exercise -- those people who go for long walks alone or hike or jog in places like this are motivated not only by a desire to be fit physically, but also to feel more alive in the moment and to feel a stronger connection to the natural world. We feel energized by a strong connection with nature. This connection can become very tenuous, however, for most of us who are busy constantly with work (or looking for work) and dwelling in crowded urban centers—nature can seem very far removed.

I do not know the secret to success or happiness or to life in general, but to move -- literally and figuratively -- is certainly one of the keys. Natural environments like the one pictured above are good reminders of the need to keep ourselves moving while also remaining in the moment. When I run (or walk/hike, etc.) in places like this I am aware or the movement all around — the sound of my own foot steps and beating heart, the shifting of the sand, the roar of the ocean and the sight of its crashing waves, the feeling of the sea breeze, the gliding sea birds above, the swaying of the trees, the quickly changing cloud formations that let us sneak a peak at the sun — nothing is static is seems. To be alive is to search, explore, and discover. To be alive is to move.