Like ripples on water (Travemünde)

Along with the nearing of the end of this journey, everything seems to be getting easier. Today, I only had to ride the about 15 km from Lübeck to this little seaside town, and with the gentle tailwind and my feather-light state of mind, this was no trouble at all. The weather that had seemed decidedly chilly in the morning was now back to summery warm, and my only slight discomfort came from the fact that the inner tube of the front tyre that I had hastily changed yesterday on the train from Osnabrück to Hamburg did not seem to become really hard, no matter how much I pumped it. However, as it wasn't getting any softer either, it apparently wasn't leaking, so I could ride on.

As the kilometers rolled by, I found myself in a contemplative mood quite fitting for the end of this trip. Events, people, sceneries, animals (and yes, dances) were flashing through my mind, and with every memory, some important-seeming realisation came to mind. At the same time, I marvelled at how quickly and efficiently I have already started to forget the hardships of the past weeks.

Mostly, this trip has been a huge journey into myself, and the discoveries i have made are also related to how and who I am, what I need and long for, and what really motivates me. In contrast to other trips, this time the dancing itself, or my relationship to tango has not been in the centre of my attention. Even the time I have spent with my lovely tango friends has been made most memorable by the non-dancing moments.

When I set out on this trip, there were several things that made my mind restless and my heart lonely. The long days alone on the road, along with the physical exercise and the gratifying sense of achievement, however fleeting, seem to have calmed my mind and given me a sense of peace that I had not even dared to hope for. Even more important is the sense of priorities that has emerged in me; now, for the first time in a long while, I know how I want to live.

I do remember this same sensation of clarity and peace of mind from other trips, but I also remember how quickly andf easily it is lost once the daily routine of the everyday life sets in. At the moment, that is perhaps my only worry; that this sense of well-being, of loving life as it is, could be lost due to the petty annoyances and frustrations of so-called normal life.

What I wish to retain from this journey is the realisation that peace and calm lie deep within me, while the sorrows, anguishes, hopes and disappointments are just like ripples on a calm sea surface, caused by a gust of wind or a pebble thrown into it.

Keeping this realisation clear in my mind will be my biggest challenge in the months and years to come. However, it is a challenge I am eager to take.





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