World Sauntering Day is an annual holiday celebrated on the 19th of June each year. The purpose is to remind us to take it easy, smell the roses, and enjoy life as opposed to rushing through it. It is also sometimes referred to as International Sauntering Day

History

The exact year of its origin is unclear, but it is credited to have begun at Grand Hotel (Mackinac Island)

Grand Hotel (Mackinac Island)

The Grand Hotel is a historic hotel and coastal resort located on Mackinac Island, Michigan, a small island located at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac within Lake Huron between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. Constructed in the late 19th century, the facility advertises itself as...

 in Michigan

Michigan

Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....

 during the 1970s. A response by W.T.Rabe to a growing movement toward the recreation of jogging

Jogging

Jogging is a form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace. The main intention is to increase fitness with less stress on the body than from faster running.-Definition:...

. The idea was to encourage people to slow down and appreciate the world around you.

Sauntering

Sauntering is a verb to describe a style of walking; it is not a sashay, prance, trot

Trot

A trot is a type of symmetrical gait in animals.Trot may also refer to:*Trot , the specifics of trotting in horses*Trot , a genre of Korean pop music*Trot , a character from the Oz books of L...

, or lollygag. Simply it is to walk slowly preferably with a joyful disposition. Sauntering has been spoken of most notably by many of the natuaralist writers in history including Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau was an American author, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, historian, and leading transcendentalist...

 and John Burroughs. see saunter

Rules to Saunter by

There are not many hard rules and practices to follow on world sauntering day and some of them are up for debate but below are come cited rules:

• Wear comfortable clothing.
• Don't rush.
• Should be done with a medium-sized dog with one floppy ear and a neckerchief, where available.

Quotes About Sauntering

• "To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter... to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring - these are some of the rewards of the simple life." ~John Burroughs
• "Why walk when you can saunter" ~ Henry David Thoreau
• "The really efficient laborer will be found not to crowd his day with work, but will saunter to his task surrounded by a wide halo of ease and leisure." ~ Henry David Thoreau

Sources

• http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/June/saunteringday.htm
• http://www.tonic.com/article/world-sauntering-day/
• http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sauntering-for-life/110089565702321
• http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saunter
• http://www.quotegarden.com/simplicity.html
• http://www.randomterrain.com/favorite-quotes-business-and-managing.html