There are ‘walkers’ and ‘waiters’. Which are you?

Photo by Steevy Hoareau on Unsplash

The advice…

In life there are ‘walkers’ and ‘waiters’. There is no right or wrong. But are you happy with your pick?

Where it’s coming from…

Ever since I was a child I’ve divided people into two categories: there are the ‘walkers’, and there are the ‘waiters’.

It all started during our Sunday walks to and from church. I remember we’d often walk as a group: my parents, my sister and I, together with aunts and cousins who lived next door to us back then. We would all leave home at the same time and start walking. Then, along the way, some would slow down - perhaps to chat with someone they met in the road. And this is where the choice comes in: do you keep walking, or do you wait for the others to catch up?

I saw this dynamic many times since then… during school outings, when I went out with friends during the sixth form and university years, and even now during the adult years. I see it whenever there is a group in movement. Some people choose to wait for others to catch up, while others just keep walking. Some don’t even look back and realise another person has slowed down.

There is no right or wrong here. After all it’s OK to keep on going especially once you know you are all headed to the same destination - and that, just like everything in life, people get there at different paces.

But I think it can be seen as a reflection on life. We are all walking the same path. Some keep going without taking much note of what’s going on around them - either because they are so immersed in their thoughts, or so focused. Others get distracted more easily - their path is more bumpy and things happen that slow then down.

While some stop out of choice to check up on others, others keep going. This is not necessarily a bad thing because they can make sure the path ahead is safe. But, if the others never catch up, the walkers can end up in a very lonely place.