Butterflies

I am sitting in the silence of early morning sunshine. The heat of my brooding coffee rises in thin whispers of streamlined steam through the slant of light. I am almost at the end of my six month journey through Europe and am indulging in a spot of quiet reflection this morning, in Wales. Enjoying the sunrise I'm aware of the absence of singing in the trees; each morning clouds of bird have been taking to the skies to begin their annual migration south for the winter. Spiders that once held court in great webs - spanning high and wide - are also gone. The sun is on the move towards the Equator, and the seasons are changing. No clocks, dates or alarms govern this phenomenon - everything moves to the groove of Mother Nature. As if to illustrate this, a lone butterfly flutters by in defiance of the cold - what a summer of transformation it's been for all of us.

I first bought the ticket for my trip to Europe in November last year. On my way to the travel agent I was so nervous. Nervous? Of what? I dunno really. Change? Leaving things behind? Moving on? Perhaps, but also unnerved at the way that this whole trip seemed to be orchestrating itself in front of my eyes. The contracts of my job and apartment were both 'up' at the same time - exactly the same time I had been planning to depart. When I went to the travel agent to enquire about flights to the UK, something made me ask about going via Mauritius (a place I had always dreamed of seeing). There was one seat left on the plane for the exact week that the lease on my flat expired. Without hesitation I handed over my credit card and made my booking. Sometimes, I think, that journeys/callings/trips are always there waiting to find you. Waiting to take you by the hand just when you are ready.

And so I went. And what a journey. What a time I've had. How fortunate and grateful I am to have seen and experienced so many wonderful things. To have been touched by places, people, moments and experiences that will live within me forever. I have had so much fun and learnt so much about my world, as well as the one I'm lucky to dance in. Has there ever been a better time to play the bongos on a beach? Has there ever been a better time to speak Spanish, French or Italian? Has there ever been a better time to march to the beat of your own drum than now? When the grooves of Mother Nature say move, why wait. Why worry or wonder if you should. If Mother Nature is stiring something inside us to dance, then just shake your booty. If you booty ain't no good, just pretend.

Sometimes we don't need to know why deep feelings surface in us. We don't need to know what will happen 'if'. When the thought arises, just do. Why complicate things? The caterpillar wouldn't understand or believe us if we told it why it responds to its feelings that the time is now to spin its chrysalis - it finds out soon enough. Similarly, the caterpillar doesn't need to waste its energy explaining to the other insects why it's making a cocoon when they are all enjoying the sunshine. I guess we should be the same. I don't know what made me want to do this trip, and I don't care; it's not important. What's more important is that we learn to trust the instincts and truths inside all of us, and follow that. As Willie Wonker once said, We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.

So what is life like on the other side of the chrysalis? Well, hold you breath, make a wish first, then begin to dream. It's a very simple story. And I think you'll enjoy it. As for me, well, I'm moving on. It's time to start toiling morning, noon and night and earn enough lollipops to buy my flying carpet and carry on up the Khyber to journey to the centre of the Earth. I didn't get to make it to Morocco or Prague on this trip, which I tried to do, but they can wait for next time. Instead, tomorrow, I fly to Andalucia for one last mooch.