Yom Kippur starts Sunday evening. It is a 25-hour long day of fasting and praying. It is the holiest day of the year in the Jewish faith. I grew up in an orthodox family. I have long since abandoned religious beliefs and have become eclectically spiritual yet keeping to my roots preserving a culturally Jewish home. To me, what makes Yom Kippur special is setting aside the time for introspection, to thoughtfully and honestly own up to my choices over the past year. It is a day of meditation and reflection guided by the theme: “Reflect upon three things... Know from where you came, to where you are going, and before whom you are destined to give an accounting.” (Pirkei Avot 3:1)
And this year, as I reflect on my journey over the past year, I cannot help but contemplate the one I just completed - hiking the Cotswold Way. The journey of 102 miles along the picturesque villages in the Cotswolds gave me the perfect backdrop to make the space for time to think about the things that matter most to me. As far as I could gather, the “Cotswolds” is a combination of two very old English words: “Wolds” means gentle hills and “Cots” means sheep enclosures, together they mean an area of gentle hills with plenty of sheep. The term “counting sheep” took a whole new meaning for me. The simple act of putting one foot in front of another in the land of limestone hills among sheep grazing in green pastures allowed me to quiet my mind. Nothing spectacular happened on any given day, yet every day was spectacular. There is an indescribable feeling of peace and serenity in being in simplicity or simply being. My Cotswolds walking meditation helped me connect with the wisdom of the guidance within me and all around me.
To fully process the experience, I need to write about it and reflect on the lessons learned, or refreshed, on the trip. And I can’t help but share it with others. Thank you for reading my musings. Here are the 5 things I pondered whilst walking:
1. Access to nature is a human right
Hiking across America, I am used to seeing “No Trespassing” and “Private Property” signs posed on trees and fence posts everywhere. It is mind boggling that you can walk anywhere you like in the UK, unless specifically prohibited by law. Many public footpaths cross private land, and walkers have the right to “pass and repass” (i.e., walk) and even to cross over a golf course (as long as you keep off golf greens, allow players to play their shot, and stop when close to a player about to play.) In the US public land is given to private golf courses, developers, and high bidders. Most parks charge a day use fee. Just as I am a firm believer in access to healthcare as one of the fundamental rights of every human being, I feel there should be equitable access to nature. Exposure to nature has been linked to a host of benefits. I hope we can all agree that everyone should have better and equitable access to outdoor spaces. There are systemic issues rooted in the “Nature Gap” (disparity in access to natural spaces). However, as a concerned citizen and an informed individual my commitment is to become an environmental and nature steward to promote people-nature contact in my community.
2. Success is what we make it to be
Traveling has broadened my perspective in so many ways. On every trip, there are new experiences that touch my heart and teach my mind. One example from this trip was the visit to StarBistro café, a social enterprise training and employing people with disabilities to have real jobs in the community. What an inspiring example of making a positive difference in people’s lives! It really made me reflect on my definition of success. Michelle Obama’s words resonate: “Success isn't about how much money you make; it's about the difference you make in people's lives.” There’s no one-size-fits-all definition of success. To me, it is a commitment to always do my best to support clients in achieving their desired outcomes when making meaningful changes. I recognize that helping one person is a drop in a bucket and will not change the world in the face of overwhelming challenges, but I know that I can and I do change the world for my clients. My motivation lies in the truth I find in Mother Teresa’s words: “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water and create many ripples.”
3. Retirement is a reward
A touching moment was stumbling upon a pasture for retired horses. Being put to pasture has negative connotations, especially in Western cultures that tend to glorify youth. Maturity and experience don’t have to mean inevitable decline. It can be a time of vigor and productivity. I am in a unique position of running my own coaching practice. Thus, my hope is to be able to continue my life’s work for as long as I want to and can. At this point, I am in the second half of my life and my career. I am not quite ready for social security retirement benefits. But I am at the age when retirement looms on the horizon. The idea of not working, or even slowing down, scares me. The serene view of the graceful horses grazing on the pasture made me emotional. Isn’t it something that every older horse deserves, a reward for a lifetime of hard work? It got me thinking about what it means to live a good life. I thought about how thankful I am to be healthy and able to do the work I love and take the time to experience the world through long-distance hiking. What a privilege it is to see a world filled with beauty and wonder. Gratitude is a powerful feeling that inspires me with trust for the future. Living a good life means I get to direct my journey and choose the things that lead to self-fulfillment. And thus, I shall remain present-focused releasing feelings of worry regarding the future.
4. Obstacles Provide Perspective
Seeing cows is one of the joys of the countryside, but not when cattle are obstructing the path. Coming upon a herd of cows blocking the path right at the gate, the choice was to push through, or find a safe way, away from the path, to avoid them. Safety considerations prevailed, which added mileage and some fence-hopping to the day. Back on the path, a group of walkers who chose the path not taken shared they gave the cows a gentle nudge from behind to coax them off the path. What seems like a terrifying obstacle for some is easy for others. Whether something is easy or challenging is relative to one’s prior experience and depends on individual level of preparedness. Hard is only relative to the ability to respond in the moment. And practice makes better. Every obstacle allows us to gain new skills and new perspectives. When faced with a significant obstacle, we can reveille (awaken and rise to the challenge) or retreat (find a way around it.) The lesson here is to just not give up, to find the right path for you to overcome the obstacles and find a way forward. You can view an obstacle as a stumbling block, or as a stepping stone. Changing perspective, seeing challenges from a different angle can help you build resilience, identify resources, and find solutions to achieve positive outcomes.
5. A big adventure is about the small things
The success of any trip is in the planning, in the attention given to small details. The joy of travel comes from taking the time to appreciate the pleasures life brings, however small - a bench in the shade on a hot day, a clean shower after a strenuous hike, a great conversation over dinner, the kindness of strangers, a bird on a tree, a colorful butterfly, a busy bee, and the beauty of nature. Quite simply, appreciating the little things can generate a lot of joy and inner peace. It means allowing the every day moments, that are so easy to take for granted, to nurture and sustain us. As I close my eyes, I revel in this lesson - life is best found in the simplest of things, the love of family, the camaraderie of friends, and the many little experiences that make a life.
When doing a long-distance hike time is both fast and slow, and the destination isn’t the end, a hike completed is just another moment on the time-space continuum. A moment to reflect on life and all of the wonderful things in it, a moment to appreciate and give thanks for all of the blessings in my life. My commitment is to continue to grow as a person and be better to myself and others. What is a promise you can make today to your future self?
Comments