The Wealth Of A Simple Life

Written in Rapperswil, Switzerland, am 11.10.2008

I was walking uphill for already two hours. It had been raining all day long, and now a snow rain crossed the pass together with me. But suddenly the rain stopped, and a sunbeam came through the black clouds and was mirrored by the water. I was soaked but happy. I had reached another milestone: the Lake Zurich.

Since one month I am on the road alone. Until Lienz in Eastern Tirol, Gregor and I had been hiked together all the time and guests had joined us frequently. Sometimes it had been difficult to adapt our rhythms. We had a very intense time, and both of us had our own experiences and new insights. I felt, that the moment had come to try walking alone. I was excited about the new challenge, since I had never been alone during my long distance hikes. How would I manage being alone? How would be the evenings in the tent? Would it be funny or boring? I wanted to find out! I had just bought a new Moleskine-notebook, and like always I was ready to fill the empty pages with new treasures I would find along the way.

I wanted to meet Werner Koch of “Koch Alpin”, a company which had supported us with excellent outdoor equipment. I decided to follow the Way of St. James through Southern Tirol, in order to reach Innsbruck after crossing the Brenner Pass. Surrounded by the mighty mountain chains of Lienz I started to hike again. Now I would be able to listen to my inner clock: Walk, when the steps would come easy, rest, when I would get tired and sleep, when I would found a beautiful spot.

I had started only with a small folder with little description of the way. So I knocked on the door of Dean Franz Hofmann, of who I had heard was a specialist on the Way of St. James. He saw my hiking stick and did not hesitate to ask me to come in. We chatted and drank coffee. As he heard, that I had not found the right way several times, he went upstairs to get a book with an exact route of the Southern Tirol (Italian) part of the Way of St. James and said: “Just send it back to me when you reach Innsbruck”. It was PERFECT! This sign supported my decision to walk into this direction. It was the first beautiful encounter along this way, and many should follow.

It was late afternoon, and I gasped for breath. It was September, 21st, exactly two month after we had started in Vienna, and I was walking down from the Brenner Pass through the wonderful “Wipptal” valley towards Innsbruck. The book which I got from Franz only described the way until the border on Brenner, now I had to trust my little folder and the marks again. I sweated and gasped, because the way led uphill and uphill, and no sign was in sight. But then, finally, another “shell”. Soon the path led downhill and I reached a little forest along a nice creek. I got easy again and was happy about this godsend. I went to the “wooden toilet” and jumped into the creek. What a PLEASURE! Fresh like a Cottage Cheese I continued to walk. Near a farm a lady asked me, if I was a pilgrim. We chatted, and she invited me to have a beer. Hari, 15 years old and the young farmer, was my company and we became friends immediately. “Why don´t you stay overnight?” he asked. And so we cut wood together, ate excellent “Moschtbeernocken” for dinner, shared a chocolate bar of Zotter for dessert and went to sleep in the hay. WONDERFUL!

Just before Bludenz, after a beautiful day hiking through the “Klostertal” valley down from the “Arlberg”, I came into Braz. An old lady crossed my way and wanted to know, where I went. I explained, that I planned to walk to Spain. She asked: “Why?” I said: “Because I want to experience how simple life is”. Again she asked: “Why?” I answered: “Because I believe that I don´t need a lot for a happy life and that the most important things in life are not material”. She understood and had tears in her eyes. It was touching. Then she took my hand and said: “I have known it all the time, the old God is still alive!” We said good bye to each other long and sincere like old friends. Later I walked, thought about the phrase and again I felt its impact. Yes, I thought, it is true! The old God is still alive in us! Most of the time the plenitude of things and the speed of life distract us, but in some silent and conscious moments we are aware of the essential things, when we listen into ourselves. Then we feel the unbelievable power, which connects everybody of us with others and the earth.

Some time ago I read on a poster of a religious community: “It is better to trust in god than to count on people”. I do not think, that one is possible without the other. We must overcome the distrust in others in order to free our own mind for its prosperity. René Egli writes in “The Lola principle”: “Fear is a problem of human insecurity. Insecurity is a lack of trust in ourselves and in the world. Fear is the reason, why we hold on dogmas, judgements, systems of belief and on other people. We belief, this would give us security, identity and orientation. The consequence is serious: While holding on we block our own development. What is held cannot move. What does not move anymore dies.” So, why don´t we start moving and take the full responsibility for ourselves and for our environment? Let us overcome the phrase “I cannot do anything about it” and take the initiative!

I have learned a lot in the last month. Hiking alone now, I have realized my very own personal responsibility. I more and more listen to my heart and to my intuition and let me guide by them. With every step my power and my self confidence grow. The encounters along my way support my optimism and my trust. Not one moment of fear. Not one moment of boredom. Not one negative experience. My eyes and my heart have opened for the beautiful and positive things. My mind has cleared. And my thoughts and my vision define my destiny. Somebody has carved it into a wooden sign near Innsbruck:

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.

I have reached Rapperswil on the Lake Zurich, where I will continue now towards Geneva and later Lyon. I experience an impressive autumn out there: the dense woods change their colour rapidly, so that you can note the differences everyday, and the clouds play a drama between heaven and earth. Just like seasons change, one thing comes after the other. Sometimes hiking is tiring, but the rest in the tent is more relaxing then. Sometimes there is a day without action, but an encounter the next day is more intense then. Sometimes it is cold and wet, but the sunrays afterwards are more powerful then. It is wonderful to sense the circles of life, I am now again a part of it. It is the wealth of a simple life.

Yours,
Reinhold.

Some Impressions