Ralph Waldo Emerson said: "The civilized man has built a coach but lost the use of his feet." An inspiring quote that ties in perfectly with getting out of house this Monday, March 30, for National Take a Walk in a Park Day.

Naturally, the idea behind these celebratory days is to not wait every 365 days to actually do the task, e.g. plant a flower. Or to drive to a park, walk a few hundred feet and then sit on a park bench and check your email. There's always a message behind these designated mini-holidays.

The idea of National Take A Walk in A Park Day is to do more walking in the real world and less interacting with the digital world. Civilized man has not only built a coach (automobile) so people don't walk as much. He's also built desktop computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, game consoles and 60-inch TVs with 300 channels that keep people in the house more and venturing out less.

The benefits of taking a walk in the park are substantial. Certainly more rewarding than checking your Facebook page every 15 minutes to see what your friend just cooked for dinner.

As Apple, Google, Microsoft and all the other tech companies churn out more and better devices every year, people are also becoming more sedentary every year.

Research shows nearly a third of children around the world spend at least three hours a day on their computers or watching TV.

Former U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher said "This is probably the most sedentary generation of people in the history of the world."

What about adults? Scientists are now saying, sitting can be deadly. According to a British research firm, just 20 minutes of walking a day can decrease mortality rates by 30%. Some doctors say just getting up from a desk or chair every 30 minutes and talking a brief walk can make a huge difference.

"Efforts to encourage small increases in physical activity in inactive individuals likely have significant health benefits," said Ulf Ekelnund, a scientist at the University of Cambridge.

It's almost as though there is a battle taking place between walking and typing. As technology becomes more enticing, it captivates us longer. We spend more time on the web, or play more games on our phones or post more cat photos on social media. That creates less time moving around, which is still something humans were designed to do.

Turn off that device and turn on your feet. Get out and interact with the trees, the grass, the flowers and the fresh air.

What are the benefits of a walk in the park? There are many. First, it's fun. Second, the movement will boost your energy. It will also help you reduce stress. And walking can help you keep those pounds off. Third, it's a great place to reconnect with organic life as opposed to the digital one we all seem to be living in.

While you are improving your body, might as well clear out your head as well. Walking puts you in a meditative state (as long as you have that darn smartphone turned off in your pocket).

Paul Dudley White said: "A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult then all the medicine and psychology in the world."

Jacqueline Schiff said: "The best remedy for a short temper is a long walk."

Here's another one - "Solvitur ambulando. St. Jerome was fond of saying. To solve a problem, walk around," said Gregory McNamee.

"Nothing like a nighttime stroll to give you ideas," said fictional character Mad-Eye Moody who was created by J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame and one of England's first female billionaires. She might know a thing or two.

How can you compare the virtual world to the real world? A tree in Farmville is nothing like a giant maple tree in a park. On your phone or computer, you can't experience the cool shade of a towering oak tree, the bright green canopy above your head or the spectrum of colors in the leaves.

In the virtual world there are no scents, like you find in park gardenias or a bunch of jasmine. The digital colors aren't real, like you find in a row of goldenrod or paintbrush flowers.

Air has different flavors as well. The air you breathe in your home while counting out characters on Twitter is nothing compared to the air you smell while stepping over rocks on a hiking trail. It's like comparing club soda to champagne.

Speaking of tweeting, that silly Twitter bird comes nowhere close to the sound of a happy bird singing, no matter how many times Kim Kardashian chirps about what Kanye is doing.

And, in this digital world, where people like to multi-task at all times, say for example, texting to a friend while attempting to steer a three-ton vehicle down the street - a park is a safe haven for walking and relaxation.

That's it. We're done here.  Enough said. Time to stop typing and start walking. In a park. Where a real environment is a treat compared to a virtual one. Why wait until National Take a Walk in a Park Day on Monday? Take a hike this weekend.  Sit on a park bench and take in a few breathes of fresh air and sunshine. If you haven't done it in a while, going out into a park can be a simple yet rewarding experience.

For John Muir, the great outdoorsman, nailed it when he said: "I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in."

To provide people with a park bench or picnic table check out the outdoor furniture available at The Park Catalog.