I first heard the term “walkabout” back in 1986. I met a man from Australia who found himself in the unknown hustle and bustle of New York City. He was very observant. Quiet with a thick accent. Interesting, thoughtful, and insightful. He stood out among the pedestrians flowing down a concrete river flanked by skyscraper shadows. When asked if he needed help, direction, or maybe a car somewhere, he replied, “Na, I thought I’d go walkabout.”
I then watched Crocodile Dundee walk through an unknown terrain where he saw, heard, and tipped his hat to the sensory overloads of The Big Apple. Life’s cinematic walk gave him the clarity to adapt, survive, and save the day.
Etymology World Online explains that “walkabout” is a word from the Aboriginal language Gamilaraay. “Walka” means “to go” or “to wander,” and “bout” is a suffix used to indicate a repetitive or ongoing action. The word’s origins date back to Australian Aboriginal culture, where youngsters embarked on a rite of passage to learn about their heritage, land, and place.
Typically, walkabouts take months, and some can take years. They involve venturing into the unknown, gathering knowledge, and learning new skills and coping mechanisms to find deeper connections to the hidden spark of who one is as planted and planned by God. They are challenges to set out upon, accept, and ponder.
The new year brings opportunities disguised as hopeful change. It feels like a fresh beginning—a do-over—the possibility of being better, growing, and evolving—into what? Who the heck knows?
But, if I aspire to be something more and find contentment in where I am, maybe I need to take the advice of my old friend Mick. I turn 60 this year. If the new year doesn’t get you thinking, the number 60 does, and I have, so I am taking a walkabout.
I’ve selected four areas of focus for the trek: physical, spiritual, mental, and occupational. By moving through each one, I pray to understand my fifth target—emotional—where a deeper sense of myself will reveal me. Would I love to go to the land down under and walk as an Aboriginal? I'm not sure. So, my explorations will be a 12-month journey within my blessed life.
The order of the chosen focus seems to be a subconscious priority list. The physical aspect was always written down first as I mapped out my route. This is because I know when my physical self is strong, my spiritual self is stronger, which makes me hunger for knowledge that finds its way to pages. It all falls in line for me, builds off each other, and creates momentum and reflection, which I pray levels out the emotional part of Kim.
Over the next 12 months, my 2025 walkabout hopes (notice I am not saying resolutions) are :
PHYSICAL - A 60s themed ultra-triathlon (60 miles swam / 600 miles biked / 600 miles walked)
SPIRITUAL – Grow, study, finish (40 weeks of Church attended, 12 Christian theology books read, “The Bible in 52 weeks” finished)
MENTAL – Read, think, listen - (24 books read / 52 ponders written / 52 podcasts heard)
OCCUPATIONAL – Expand / submit / complete - (Increased Substack subscriptions / published stage of a photo book / novel writing course completed)
EMOTIONAL – To be determined - (by the other four journeys)
These areas might also work for others, albeit with different focuses and in a different order. Some might include finance, healing, forgiveness, or any other personal space that tugs and pulls in this particular time and place.
Is all this too aspirational? Too hopeful? Well, there are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 4 weeks a month for 12 months to get up and say it’s worth the try. Emotional growth comes from physical, spiritual, and mental rebirths, which provide great insights into achieving occupational aspirations.
Dundee was on to something when he stepped out into the beat of the unknown, even if it was just a storytelling beat. But I’ve pondered it for nearly five decades. I may not find all I seek as I pursue these “hopes” during year 60, but the courage to try has me feeling younger already.
Lists are a part of every year when ending the preceding year. If you dare, skip the list and find new terrain to walk across. Go on a walkabout - if that’s too daunting, maybe watch a movie.
But get up and get out. There is a lot to think about.
<><
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)
Be safe, stay kind, show grace, and pray. Know this - the world and all in it sit in the hands of God. Catch you next week.
This is a reminder that Ponder This comes out on Wednesday mornings. Look for us in your inbox or on the Substack App. And remember:
“Pondering is everything, and everything is worth pondering.” - Kim Knights
PS - I’ll give you a quarterly account of my walkabout. Prayers are requested to find whatever I’m seeking. LOL <><
Love this. My goals are to continue focus on practice proactive management my health which directly impacts me physically and emotionally. Also to find a way to lead my team with the grace and knowledge on how to empower them so that when I leave they are prepared for the growth and able to take the company to next level.
Inspiring goals for sure! Prayers up for a walkabout filled with Truth, Beauty, and Goodness.