We haven’t even escaped from our jet lag yet and are already heading back home. It was a short and sweet trip, mostly spent around the house we rented on the island of Sylt with Frido’s parents.
We didn’t do a whole lot. The hope for this trip was just to hang out with Frido’s parents. Nothing more and nothing less. We ate good food, took a walk to the beach, played card games, finished a 1000-piece puzzle, took our jetlag naps, did midnight drawing sessions with Coco (our night owl), and read books… and I got to work with BK remotely. Not needing to do a lot of driving and doing felt like a vacation…
When we were looking for a house to stay in, we looked for a location that was accessible from Hamburg airport and Frido’s parent’s house, yet as far from the city as possible. In the off-season, Sylt was quiet, and the southern tip of the neighborhood where we stayed was even more tranquil.
It was perfect.
Even though Topanga is as rural as it can be (considering its close proximity to LA), we still have a lot of noise pollution from helicopters above to lawnmowers on the ground. In the LA condition, it’s hard for me to remember how it feels to be in the absence of constant noise… until I get to the place where I can sit without the sound turbulence around me.
However, the world is never silent because nature is always talking… so many different voices. We woke up with seagulls calling and went to sleep with the sound of wind and waves in the far distance. I took a long walk by myself to the beach and back. It started raining in the middle of the week, so I was accompanied by the raindrops and the squelch of my boots as I took each step on white sand.
I feel comfortable in these moments, or I should say that my nervous system feels comforted in these quieter moments. I enjoy my solitude walks because it reminds me of the presence of all other beings… and I have a feeling that the essence of the quietness I felt on Sylt will linger around for a little longer.
This is such a beautiful reflection, Wakako❤️. Thank you for the reminder to take space to breathe.