What will stay in my memory the most of my 5-days visit to Toronto, is rekindling with my ‘old’ colleague I knew from years back when I worked in Paris. We had only been colleagues for not even 2 years and I had not seen her for 12 years, yet staying with her and her sweet family was like catching up with a lifelong friend. Sometimes in life you meet that kind of person; it just clicks. Even after pressing the pause button for 12 years, the feeling remains exactly the same.
This seems to contradict with a phrase I noticed arching above the viaduct in Queen Street, Toronto: “The river I step in, is not the river I stand in”. There was something beautiful to that phrase that I just had to look it up. I learned that it is borrowed from the Greek philosopher Heraclitus who said “the only constant in life is change”.
It is a reality that can fill us with fear or sorrow when we have a good thing going; we do not want it to change. Yet it also brings us the sweet feeling of hope, when we are in a not so good place. Guess that is why I find the phrase so beautiful; it is balanced.
A little over one month ago, I left Mauritius to undertake this journey around the world in 50 days. I have to say: it has been an awesome life experience so far. I am just over half of my journey and already I have discovered so much. New countries and cultures, of course, but what stands out is something I treasure even more: the discovery of my ability (or not!) to be alone, creative, resilient, courageous and ……. (<– fill here any other skill you need to keep standing in life). I thought I already knew the extent and/or limits of my abilities, yet I have surprised myself again.
The river I stepped in, is definitely no longer the river I stand in.
p.s. :
if you are looking for an extraordinary life experience, I can highly recommend to undertake a solo trip. Not necessarily around the world but just any trip that moves you away from home and be on your own for a longer time than you normally are.