2.23.24 | 10:14am
“I’ve only been here for four hours and already, the kindness I have encountered from strangers is unlike anything I have experienced before. As we took our morning walk through this quiet little place, enclosed by mountains I’ve only ever seen in pictures, every business still awaiting its opening. The earth was quiet and still. The few we passed on the streets not only immediately met their eyes with mine, but followed with a proud hello and a smile. So simple, but unique in the world we live in today. I’ve only been here four hours, and I already know I want to stay here forever.“
This is the first thing I wrote in my journal when I arrived in the little town of Interlaken. Usually it takes me a second to settle into somewhere and feel inspired enough to write… but not here. Here, it was love at first sight.
The Nature of Switzerland
I think it’s remarkable- the power that nature holds.
When I arrived in Switzerland, it was 6am, pitch black, and the world was still asleep. Just an hour later as the sun began to rise, I was greeted by snow capped mountains that surrounded me from every viewpoint.
I haven’t felt that at peace since moving to Europe.
There’s something about the mountains that bring a calmness to my soul. I can’t tell you how many times I said “this is just incredible” on this trip. Too many to count. Whether day or night, there was nothing like walking around and just looking up and around, rather than being drawn down to my phone.
I felt sun, and truly felt it- as in, I was able to feel it for more than 30 seconds while passing through a spot on the street. It will never cease to amazing me- the healing it provides.
And the air. So clean and crisp. The water, pure. That’s how I would describe this place- pure.
Switzerland had a calmness about it. They don’t make life too complicated and seem to enjoy what’s already right in front of them. I think we can all take a page out of their book and just remember to appreciate the things that are already here for us, go outside, feel a little sun on our face, and just live.
Switzerland on Film
This video starts with a moment where I found myself a bit lost in the mountains. If you listen close enough you can hear me confess to my camera that “I fear I have taken the wrong trail…”.
But sometimes uncertainty can lead to the most beautiful of journeys. Instead of panicking, I found excitement in the adventure. It took some experimentation, but I eventually made it back and I wouldn’t have wanted to explore the mountains any other way. Whether physically or internally, we all get a little lost sometimes. It’s in these moments that I take a breath, remember life is an adventure, and smile through the uncertainty.
