A short ride into the Mystic

Day 6 Amsterdam – Santiago

I love the early mornings when the sun just comes out. The world appears to us in utter virginity and innocence. 

My 99-kilometer ride yesterday was awesome. I was in The Flow. I know the Flow from playing Golf. It happens only once in about ten years. You hit the ball for 18 holes, and you can’t seem to do anything wrong. Par’s, Birdy’s: you feel like being on a pink cloud, the balls drop anywhere you want them to drop. It’s magic and the funny part is you can’t tell what in Heavens Name you did right. As happens in all the other games you play in these ten years, when nothing works the way you want to. You just don’t know what is wrong with your game. It just does not happen. 

I apologize, because some of my writings might be a little over the Top in the coming weeks. When traveling one becomes more vulnerable, more open to new experiences and thoughts. Everything seems to be clearer without all the distractions that work and everyday life brings to our lives. 

Talking about work.

Do you at some point feel uncomfortable when being in the presence of people with severe mental health issues and trauma? When people are overwhelmed with what happened to them and they can’t stop talking about it? When you feel heaviness in the room and sometimes it just needs one word, one gentle tap on the shoulder or one blink of an eye to make all these emotions come out? 

Sit With Discomfort. 

I discovered the importance of these three words, once I started traveling and working in the USA, becoming friends with people from the powerful Peer Movement in that country. 

I love being among people with trauma and mental health issues. No, I will not romanticize having mental health problems and trauma. If that happens to you, life can be very worrying and troublesome. Things happen to a lot of people. It happens to all of us. You and I can tell. 

But, if you meet the right people, at the right moment, at the right location, you might meet the person that convinces you that recovery is very possible: you might have a meaningful conversation and learn to benefit from all that has happened to you. 

Sit back and listen. Without prejudice. Have and enjoy meaningful conversations.

Yesterday I met Yann. He is the owner of a nice B&B in the small village of Gurgy in the Bourgogne. Born and raised in a small village about 15 miles away from here Yann was bored and started traveling the world at the age of 20. He had a hard time imagining working for a boss. I am not very good at dealing with people for whom authority is important. Yan works 80 hours a week but never complains. Look at me, at 42 I am back in the place I was born. I have created my own world in which nature, quiet and meeting people from all over the world became important to me. A simple life is what matters. 

Today I will be heading for Vézelay, a ride into early sunshine, collecting my second Santiago Stamp in this beautiful cathedral. It’s a short ride, but I am sure new thoughts will come from somewhere out of the Blue and Mystic. 

I apologize. 

I told you some of my writings would be over the Top.