The Road Goes Ever On
Walking for pleasure, despite the early protests of Frodo Baggins as he stands up sore and wretched in the early chapters of The Fellowship of the Ring, is something to be enjoyed with great relish. To walk is to move in the manner most natural to man, and this movement is capable for those with willing spirits of providing ample opportunity for invigoration of body and stimulation of mind. As Hilaire Belloc writes in The Four Men: A Farrago, walking allows you to see the entire world, with the heavens above your head, the earth under your feet, and the whole land open to you on all sides. This thought expresses the idea that by walking, man is able to realize his dignity as man per se, since he understands intuitively that he is between heaven and earth, a living crossroads. And walking, of course, provides exercise for the body, and a chance for the mind to be refreshed by experiencing the natural world, or by granting a period of time for inward reflection. Furthermore, when one finds themselves in a great place, such as the city of Rome, the best way to experience and understand it, to make it part of oneself, is to walk through its streets and alleys, treading on cobblestone after cobblestone and being enriched by the totality of what is seen and heard. So go for a walk sometime. Observe. Wonder. One doesn’t necessarily need a purpose for it, for there are things in life which, although they seem useless, are of great and enduring value.
-J.A.K.
Amore Antiqui Ritus 
Josh
I’m glad that you have the opportunity to see parts of the world. Sure that your Dad has discussed what salvation is all about. Christ died on the cross for the whole world. Matter of fact he is GOD in the flesh. When you have time read Gospel of John 1: 1-5. Yes I care for you and do not want you to be deceived. Decisions are yours to make. When time is available keep me posted on some the things you do. Apostle Paul was beheaded in Rome. If you find any information on that fact send it to me when time allows.
Love
Grandpa Keatley
Thanks Grandpa- I’m glad to know you’re reading my blog. I’ve actually gotten to see the spots where both the Apostle Paul and the Apostle Peter were martyred for Christ, and where their tombs are: the latter was crucified upside-down where St. Peter’s Basilica is, and the former was beheaded just outside of Rome proper under the persecution of the Emperor Nero in the 60’s A.D. It’s really an inspiring and sobering experience to see where they gave up their lives for Christ and His Church.
Oh, and thanks for the reading suggestion. What’s great is that I get to hear that part of St. John’s Gospel read at the end of every Mass. I’ll be sure to keep updating my posts, too, to share more of experiences in Italy.