On most weekends, I walk a 6 km trail along the Adyar river. Three kilometres in. Three kilometres back. Right in the heart of Chennai.

It surprises me every time. Because if you didn’t know it was there, you’d never guess.

On one side, the city rushes on with its noise and concrete. On the other, there’s a quiet stretch of earth, trees arching overhead, birds calling out, the river flowing alongside. Nature, abundant and unhurried, hiding in plain sight.

What strikes me is not just the contrast, but the fact that this has always been here. Most people drive past it every day without knowing it exists. Not because it’s invisible, but because we’re rarely looking.

Walking this trail slows me down. It helps me unwind. It sharpens my senses. It reminds me that calm, clarity, and possibility are often closer than we think, tucked away beside our routines, waiting for our attention.

It makes me wonder how much we walk past every day without noticing.

How many paths, ideas, or opportunities exist undiscovered around us… simply because we haven’t paused long enough to see them?