Friday, February 9, 2007

Wanderlust

During this rare time of being home with a newborn, I find myself traveling more then ever before. A few days ago, I was back in Brugge, Belgium inside a medieval catholic church, lighting a prayer candle for Niki and Inge. I remember slipping the euro coin into the metal box to the side of burning candles, and taking the last spot. I thought of all those prayers winding their way through the dark vaulted church and onto heaven. I wonder if science will ever be able to measure our intentions and how long they take to travel to their destinations.

The other day as I took a sip of decaf green chai tea, I was suddenly walking along a snowy path with my man, deep in a valley beneath sheer the stone walls of Luxembourg. So long ago, yet there I was, my boots losing their traction on the ice, marvelling at the beauty of this ancient city.

I suppose you develop wanderlust at many different times in life, but it seems most poignant when you are truly unable to step aboard an airplane due to life's circumstances.

Does this happen to anyone else?

2 comments:

Chryss said...

There's no better lesson for living in the present than caring for a newborn. All your plans, even the smallest ones like planning to take a shower, are merely projections into a future that may not happen. It's an opportunity to focus entirely on the present, and if you forget, there's a little being there to remind you that the present is what it's all about. They're little Buddhas!

Kristin Anderson said...

Little buddhas! Brilliant. True. Simple. He constantly teaches me.