This week the destination was not a physical place, but a trip around "The Others".
For an hour and a half, Edite Amorim presented stories of some trips (Ireland, Barcelona, Camino de Santiago, Israel, Palestine, Macedonia, Austria) not focusing on the places but on the people she met and with whom she created meaningful connections. The focus was always on those encounters, the way they happened, what did they bring and what did they leave on her. Messages of hope, inspiration for daring, courage to continue the path, ways of facing life, beauty, tenderness, kindness,.. Those were some of the messages left by the special people Edite presented, always enhancing the facility behind talking with strangers, welcoming them into the daily routines of small or big trips. Trust, optimism and possibility were some of the importante componentes of all the presentation.
After the presentation a space for Q & A and also for sharing perspectives and debating was opened.
In a very spontaneous and fluid way all the assistants started to contribute too, sharing their own experiences and most of all, opening a precious space for some deep questions, full of food for thought;
- Why do we actually travel? What is it supposed to bring to our lives and what are we supposed to leave when we go away?
- What is the role of "the others" in our lives? How much do we allow other people to get closer and what are the reasons that put us back for that?
- What is the difference between "strangers" and "people we don't know yet"? What is the distance?
- What is the role of Optimism in our daily life? Does an optimistic attitude help in getting closer to those "strangers", and believing they may have something to share with us?
- How do we make use of the lucky global situation we live in, with security, freedom and basic rights guaranteed, in comparison with other places where that doesn't happen? Are we taking the most out of it?
- What is the role of gratitude, kindness and tenderness in our daily life? Are we using them? Are we valuing them?
- What happens with our daily routines that make us go sometimes a bit numb, without noticing the possibilities for encounters right around the corner?
- What does it mean to "live a life fully lived"? How can we make the most out of our days?
The answers to "What do you take with you from this evening?" shows a little bit of those reflections:
A simple initiative in a thursday evening, talking about Encounters, Life and The Others ended up creating a true space for really special connections in the end, as the final picture with some of the participants shows.
THANK YOU for coming,
Edite Amorim