Life is essentially sad. Happiness is sporadic. It comes in moments and that's it. Extract the blood from every moment. Robert Redford
The most significant part about traveling (for me) is not just seeing places, taking photos, and taking a break from life; it’s about meeting different people and picking up on their life stories. Today, I met someone with a beginning stage of memory loss. I will not take it upon myself to say it’s Alzheimer’s, and I hope it’s not…
When I take a train in Europe, I usually book a good seat by the window and hope other seats around me will be empty. Sometimes I get lucky! I like my space!!! I had it today for five stops, then a group of seven American travelers walked past me… and I thought, “Please keep walking”… They were loud too! Then a couple sat by me. A wife took over a window seat from which I kept jumping, changing sides, and taking photos. I was not very happy. Then we started talking. My camera battery was dying, and I was almost on my last shot. Her husband took out a charger I needed (from the USA) to charge it. “If you have an extra one, may I borrow your charger, please?” I said. A wife looked all over and she found it for me. I charged it and gave it back. During the journey, she asked her husband for a piece of paper to write things down. Her handwriting was off, but I didn’t pick up the details yet. Her friend came and asked for the same charger that was still next to her. She gave it to her friend. Fifteen minutes later, she looked for something in the bags and suitcase. “What are you looking for?” I asked. She ignored my question. I figured that must have been the charger. Her friend brought it back an hour later. She didn’t remember me or her friend borrowing.
I thanked god they sat by me! They saved this photo, probably one I took after charging the battery. Also, she shook me to my core. I remembered my grandma going through these things seventeen years ago, right before her Alzheimer's took over her life with a full-blown speed. And I just cried. She told me she retired not too long ago and they started traveling more in Europe.
When I read Robert Redford’s interview today, it made me think that life is short and 99% of it is a routine from which we squeeze drops of life, worrying about things that are trivial and ignoring the vitality (the actual) heart of life.
Life is essentially sad. Happiness is sporadic. It comes in moments and that's it. Extract the blood from every moment. Robert Redford
The most significant part about traveling (for me) is not just seeing places, taking photos, and taking a break from life; it’s about meeting different people and picking up on their life stories. Today, I met someone with a beginning stage of memory loss. I will not take it upon myself to say it’s Alzheimer’s, and I hope it’s not…
When I take a train in Europe, I usually book a good seat by the window and hope other seats around me will be empty. Sometimes I get lucky! I like my space!!! I had it today for five stops, then a group of seven American travelers walked past me… and I thought, “Please keep walking”… They were loud too! Then a couple sat by me. A wife took over a window seat from which I kept jumping, changing sides, and taking photos. I was not very happy. Then we started talking. My camera battery was dying, and I was almost on my last shot. Her husband took out a charger I needed (from the USA) to charge it. “If you have an extra one, may I borrow your charger, please?” I said. A wife looked all over and she found it for me. I charged it and gave it back. During the journey, she asked her husband for a piece of paper to write things down. Her handwriting was off, but I didn’t pick up the details yet. Her friend came and asked for the same charger that was still next to her. She gave it to her friend. Fifteen minutes later, she looked for something in the bags and suitcase. “What are you looking for?” I asked. She ignored my question. I figured that must have been the charger. Her friend brought it back an hour later. She didn’t remember me or her friend borrowing.
I thanked god they sat by me! They saved this photo, probably one I took after charging the battery. Also, she shook me to my core. I remembered my grandma going through these things seventeen years ago, right before her Alzheimer's took over her life with a full-blown speed. And I just cried. She told me she retired not too long ago and they started traveling more in Europe.
When I read Robert Redford’s interview today, it made me think that life is short and 99% of it is a routine from which we squeeze drops of life, worrying about things that are trivial and ignoring the vitality (the actual) heart of life.