After a year and a half journey across two continents and ten countries, I am returning to Germany to begin a new chapter in my hero’s journey. Hiking has proven to be a central part of my experience, covering over 5000 km on foot and overcoming more than 12000 meters of altitude. However, despite my return, I don’t see this as the end of my journey, but the beginning of a new chapter.
After everyone had arrived, there was a light dinner and then the introduction that began the seriousness of the silent retreat, absolute silence. Basically no contact was allowed, not even with gestures or eyes. Part of the program was to hand in our phones. Reading, writing, sports, everything was forbidden.
On a beautiful, sunny day, I was sitting outside a café reading. My rucksack is right next to me where I can see it. Suddenly, an older woman comes by and gives her dog some of the water that is also next to me. A man in a white shirt and white headphones comes over and pets the dog and talks to the woman. That was the trick. I don’t know if the dog was in on it as a diversion or if his mistress was part of it. All I know is that there was suddenly another rucksack next to me. The thief was already out of sight.
A year is coming to an end that was completely different for me in many ways to the previous 20 years. It was the first year in which I didn’t earn any money from my work. It was the first year in my life that I wasn’t in Germany. I answered Matze Hielscher’s questions about the year in review for myself.
I’m more the lush forest type. I love variety. I love walking through a forest, with its scent of needles and leaves. On the open prairie, you are mercilessly exposed to the sun. The forest offers protection. It cools. The ground is softer. The sunlight turns into a play of shadows that penetrate the leaves and needles.
