This blog was originally about two girls who began to pilgrimage on the 20th of June of 2013, walking from Sigtuna, Sweden, with the goal to reach Santiago de Compostela in the northwestern part of Spain.
The journey stopped sometime in September of 2013, and will hopefully continue in the future.

Tuesday 30 July 2013

Smultronställen/Wild strawberry place

Good evening!

We are both very fine.  I really hope you are too. Never thought that walking together with one person such a long time,  would work that well. But it does, it does. Thank you Loïs for your understanding and for being honest. I can not ask for more. Thank you for supporting me too.

Yesterday when I was flicking through a magazine, this text caught my attention. It spread a warm feeling alltrough my body. It is about something familiar,  but yet so untouchable.  I have tried to translate it into English,  I am sure it is not perfect, but here you go:

First, just to explain the Swedish word ''Smultronställe''. Literally translated it means ''
Wild strawberry place''. During summer, there is wild strawberry growing in the forest and sometimes by the side of small roads, like countryroads. Very sweet tasting they are, as you might know! We have eaten quite a lot while walking,  the only thing is that you have you bend over, with your backpack on your back,  and your not very flexible shoes are not supporting you in this action either,  in order to pick these small but very sweet tasting red berries. Sweet and not very easy to find - that is the typical wild strawberry!

But an explanation for the word ''Smultronställe'' first:

''A smultronställe (wild strawberry place) is used to describe an especially nice place usually somewhere off the beaten track.''

And this is the translation of the text:

'' The beauty of the wild strawberry places is that they are where you least expect them to be. In a sunny glade in the woods or by the roadside where no one has ever been. The easiest way to find them is just to stop looking for them. The best way to enjoy them is to share them with others. If you remember how to get there. For the truth is, it is not just about the place. Time and circumstances are part of the experience, and when you come back, sometimes years later, the feeling is not the same. Perhaps it is you that has changed, or there is a memory that elude. Wild strawberry places are simply to be enjoyed here and now - this summer.''

Good night. I hope you find your own Wild strawberry place tomorrow!  But do not search, just pay attention.

Love and Peace,

Lovisa

Sunday 28 July 2013

Sharing quotes at the end of the day

''All that we are is the result of what we have thought.''

By Buddha

''You must be the change you wish to see in the world.''

By Mahatma Gandhi

''There is no such  thing in anyone's life as an unimportant day.''

By Alexander Woollcott

''It isn't the mountains ahead that wear you out, it's the grain of sand in your shoe.''

By Author Unknown

''Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.''

By Scott Adams

Saturday 27 July 2013

Asylstafetten

Good evening everyone!

The only chance you have to hear the sound of crickets (syrsor), when you are sleeping inside on a floor, is when you open the Windows or the door of the house. Letting nature in. Pure nature that is always real and always promising and honest.  Letting in, what we people often have trouble doing. What if I tell someone what I really feel or what I really believe in? What will happen? Is it a game of winning or loosing? Or is it just not a game, but instead simply being human?  We need each other,  every step along the way. And being true to oneself will always show to be the best in the end. This is what feels right and that helps us relax and use our energy spreading good everywhere we turn. 

We phoned the priest in the church of Månsarp today when the rain was pouring down, asking if we could stay in the parish house for the night.  Another group had also planned to stay, but he gladly helped us anyway Saying that there would be room for us too. 
The walking group call themselves ''Asylstafetten'', and translated into English it would be something like ''The relay race for Asylum''. They started to walk from Malmö 2 weeks ago, towards Stockholm,  with the mission to emphazise and highlight that the Asylum politics as it works in Sweden today,  is wrong and inhumane. They want people to listen to the stories of the refugees who come here and that the Swedish government start to respect the declared human rights.
In the towns and cities they pass they try to organize events fo the cause too! A good and brave action! If you would like to have a look at their website,  follow this link:

http://www.asylstafetten.se

I am sure they are on Facebook as well. I wish you all the best and good luck on the rest of your walk. It looks like you are taking very good care of each other. Keep it up and stay strong! I can never imagine what some of you have been through, and at such a young age..

Good night everyone.  Stay open minded and humane. I am because we are.

Love and Peace,

Lovisa

Friday 26 July 2013

Twisted

Hi everyone !!

It must be around 3-4 days since I last wrote something on the blog. We have been busy, in a way. My mother and father came to see us in Gränna, a little town in Sweden situated just by the shores of Vättern (2nd biggest lake). That same town is also, at least in sweden, famous for a special sweet called ''polkagris''. They are made traditionally with a taste mint, as a twisted stick. As it grew more popular they started to add different flavours to the sweet. So today you can have almost whatever you like. It's funny to see that old traditions and recepies still are in use even though we live in an age when there often is a need of something new, a new taste or a new experience that can satisfy us and light up our day..

I mentioned it in the beginning,  but the last days have been very busy, but in a good way. I havn't felt stressed at all. But the thing is that when you are traveling from one place to another,  every day as we do, your head is often full of impressions. I am sure you know what I am talking about. Impressions of people waving and smiling, places that you have never been to, that still feels like home, an beautiful old and wise oak, sea and sky and clouds, suddenly standing fave to face with a buzzing bee that stops by,  busy keeping its body in the air when it looks like it is staring right through you.
No matter how wonderful all these experiences are, it can sometimes be hard to relax your mind.  That's when I need time alone to think and reflect in order to create new energy. And after all, what I have been enjoying most so far, are all the conversations and exchanges we have had with people. And I know this is what I will remember when autumn and winter is approching.  The sunny days on the road, meeting all those beautiful and honest people. It will keep me warm.

In today's blog I would like to send many many thanks to you Monica, who gave us more than we would ever ask for, unconditionally.  We were only supposed to stay the night in the room we paid for, but instead you invited us to share and eat dinner with you while watching the Swedish ladies play football.  Having breakfast on your garden terrace the day after while talking about life and how it sometimes quickly turns you upside down, and then receive two tasty sandwiches as a packed lunch,  was again more than we could ever dream of. Thank you so much. You will heal, I am sure about that.

I would like to finish this blog by sending my deepest condolences to all of those hurt by the tragic train accident outside Santiago de Compostela two days ago. Rest in peace. We walked 33 km for you the day after this terrible disaster, praying for you and thinking of you, and we will keep on walking for the good in this world, the beauty of this world.
Alessio, a pilgrim that I met when walking to Santiago last summer, wrote that he has left a piece of his heart in that city. It was beautiful how you  putted it Alessio. I did that too.

Also, enjoy the pictures from the last 3-4 days!

Take care and have a warm and cosy evening.

Love and Peace,

Lovisa

Sunday 21 July 2013

New route and new times

Good evening everyone!

We have just reached the end of Klosterleden ''the route of Monastries'', and will tomorrow continue with another route called ''Franciscusleden''. Earlier this evening we read that this route is connected to other pilgrim routes in Europe, but as far as we know, it is not yet. Volunteers and the Swedish church are working with this right now. It would be interesting to get in touch with those people,  and maybe we can help them with the marking. It has been a while since I Volunteered now. When doing it I feel very greatful and I really look up to people who devote their life in this kind of contribution to Mother earth. What I feel at the moment, is that if could do that all my life, I would be so thankful. But I think  I can if this showed to be my way. Even though I am constantly contemplating this, these thoughts are getting clearer day by day. This is what happens to me when walking and living simple.  I am so happy I don't miss anything from home, except for friends and family. Relations is what really counts,  and living simple helps me remember this. It is not that I don't think about this in my everyday life, I do, but when you let go of the things you know distract you in your life, like I do now, you start to think different. Your thoughts shine in a new different light. It is beautiful to watch this happen.

Tomorrow I will see my mom and dad again, can't wait!

Hope you are having a nice summer everyone. I am having the time of my life, really, and knowing that I'm going to and that I want to live this life for a while, is very inspiring, each step along the way.

Love and Peace

Lovisa

Friday 19 July 2013

Now I don't know much about the sea


“...the sea's only gifts are harsh blows and, occasionally, the chance to feel strong. Now, I don't know much about the sea, but I do know that that's the way it is here. And I also know how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong but to feel strong, to measure yourself at least once, to find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions, facing blind, deaf stone alone, with nothing to help you but your own hands and your own head...”

Sitting at the dock of a lake in Östergötland reminded me of this quote. Swimming in the same lake earlier today, facing the big waves, alone and together with two friends, also reminded me of it. And right now, at the moment, watching Loïs swimming out there, alone, makes me remember that we only have two more weeks together now. Four weeks have already passed. She is floating around,  letting go, and it looks like she is relaxing her muscles too. Putting all her trust in what she learned when she was young, how to swim and how to keep her head above the surface. Enjoyment at it's very highest. Water might be her element.  It seems like it makes her calm and as if she feels a great attraction to water.

This Camino is not a race. Not at all. We have been taking it very slow and we have always listened to what our bodies want to say. As well as our heart.  To me it felt very important to see friends of my family when walking through Östergötland. I have known them since I was born and I know that we will enjoy spending time together until the end. You just know. So we are now having one rest day at their summer's house, beautifully situated by a wild and windy lake. The sound of it clears and deafens the air.

We will continue tomorrow from Vadstena after a couple of days begin to walk on another.pilgrim's route called the way of Franciscus ( Framciskusleden). The feeling of being on a pilgrimage is very much increasing when walking this kind of ways.
In a few days I will see my parents too. It has been a while now. ...

Enjoy your evening everyone.  We will, hopefully watching the sun set over the horizon.

Love and Peace,

Lovisa

Wednesday 17 July 2013

Never seen anything like it

Good evening :-)! Hope you are having a very good evening all of you.

I am at the moment Sitting by the window of the guesthouse we stay in tonight.  Vadstena is in bloom, vibrating as many people now are on their vacation, relaxed as they carry the happy feeling of summer inside of them. We long for it, all year. To walk barefoot in shorts or skirt. When watching nature's magical strength, survival and revival we feel alive and strong,  knowing that this is all a part of something great, a circle of life. This might be how and why we really begin to live more freely during summer. Beautiful colours give us a feeling of satisfaction everywhere we go. Leaving winter behind was not that hard after all. When thinking about it I would not even remember if last winter was very very cold or not,  freezing or if it was mild. Knowing that I don't remember, and also that I won't remember this coming winter next year, gives me a feeling of hope....

Something peculiar happend today when we walked on a calm dusty countryroad. It was early afternoon and nothing really bothered us. Then Loïs suddenly pointed at a sign she saw by the side of the road, we read it and it seemed like there was some kind of fight going on between two families living close to each other.  The words on the sign was quite harsh, so I will not write them down... we continued a bit further looking around us just to find two more signs, with harsh words and many many complains about something that had to do with property.

We started to feel Sorry for those people who had put up the signs.  As Loïs said, everytime they drive by to get home,  they will see those signs and stay angry and frustrated. They will never forget,  but instead get stuck in negative emotions.
And I also got stuck, but fortunately not in negative emotions . I could not get this thing out of my head. How can negative thinking like that surround such a beautiful landscape? So I followed my mind and decided to ask the next person I saw about how it all happend. A big yellow house with a family Sitting outside enjoying an afternoon coffe occurred, and this family happend to be the family in question,  who had recieved the complains.  We had a long talk in the sun, discussing the situation.  It was good to see how they managed to cope with it,  in a very mature and magnanimous (storsint) way, because I believe that it takes a lot!

I hope this makes sense to you all.  I don't want to write about the details in the case, so I hope you understand what I would like to say. Very tired at the moment too, my brain started to slow down hours ago. Time to say goodnight.

LOve and Peace,

Lovisa and Loïs

Monday 15 July 2013

Everyone is a pilgrim

Hi everyone!

I have had a hard time finding internet connection the last two days, and even so inspiration to write. I'm happy this happend at the same time so that I could rest and wait for my heart to speak.

We are approching the pilgrims town Vadstena,  and we feel excited. Both of us have been to Vadstena before, but not as walking pilgrims, therefore it is special to us. We are planning to reach Vadstena on wednesday, and then we will have a one-day break  in this spiritually idyllic little town. And we hope we will meet other walking pilgrims there too, because we havn't yet. I say walking pilgrims since I really believe everyone is a pilgrim, every day, throughout our lives. Doing a pilgrimage is like being on a journey,  mental or physical,  or why not both at the same time, united? We are constantly traveling and searching for our believes and for ourselves. For a while we feel satisfied with ourselves and our existence. Our heart get time to rest and reflect. But then cold winds blow away everything we thought we knew and had faith in,  at the same time as the sun is warming up our whole existence. Doubts hit us. Am I being true to myself or am I just acting?
Inside of us we can feel like a stormy sea or like a field of wheat moving from side to side, randomly out of order. Our lives are like one big and constant pilgrimage, sun, dirt, endless roads, great mountains, sweet taste of strawberries.  Ups and downs. But we must try not to fear it. Moving closer to it. Breathing it all in..

Tomorrow we hope we will be able to watch Sweden play against Italy. Go ladies!! I will walk 20 km for you tomorrow as a manifestation!

Hope you have had a nice day and that when you go to bed tonight, you will feel happy and satisfied knowing that Love will always guide you. It won't let you down. Never.

LOVE and PEACE, 

Lovisa and Loïs

Friday 12 July 2013

Today's morning coffe was united with love.

What a day we have had! The most beautiful walking so far. From morning to evening.  Sun has been shining all day. It greeted us this morning when we opened our tired eyes and when started to move our (at least my) very very stiff legs and feet. I love waking up in the tent,  it is not as nice as waking up outside though,  where as you take your first conscious breath for the day, you breath in nature's transformation from night to morning. Foggy and moisterous. Then, as I never do in my everyday life, I let the sun help me to warm my muscles,  restoring me. Sitting in the sun at this early time is reviving.

We had only walked 1 km today when we saw a sign for a Bed and breakfast. ''Smedjans Bed and breakfast''. I was not slow to realize that this might be my only opportunity having a coffe this day, so I said to Loïs we needed to go there.  And she is always up for a hot chocolate, so there was no hesitation. 
After 200 m we walked straight into an oasis, on the countryside where all surroundings are either cultivated or pasturages (betesmarker)!! We saw smoke coming out of the chimney of a small house and we could hear someone was up, preparing breakfast for the guests staying there.  The warm and cozy feeling filled the air, even though the sun was already high.  For a moment I could recognize the feeling  inside of me that I usually have during winter, but my mind quickly turned back to reality realizing it was still summer, the season I, after all, prefer.

Kjell, the owner stepped out of the small house and said good morning to us, with a big smile on his face. Having a coffe by the swimming pool (!!!!) Was just his pleasure and suddenly it felt like we had time-travelled to the Mediterranean....
Good people. A good man. A good start. The best we could get. Kjell and his wife Maria are also helping people, young and old, to get back to life. To a happy life, beyond prison walls, trouble and frustration.  From what I understood, they do this by connecting to nature, doing gardening and such,  helping these people to get a slow start and hopefully a more steady ground to walk on. What can I say? This is the beauty of people and the gift, when these to components act together in the most magnificent of ways.  Bountiful people giving and sharing what they know about life.

Thank you Kjell and Maria for spreading love and energy.

''When you forgive, you love. And when you love,  God's light shines on you''

Good night. Sleep tight.

Love and Peace

Lovisa and Loïs

Meanwhile on Klosterleden ( The route of Monastries)

Wednesday 10 July 2013

At the end of the world, it looks like all trucks are aquaplaning (vattenplanar).

It felt like the end of the world was near when walking today. For 2-3 km there were soo many trucks passing us, only around 2-3 m away. Oily whirlwinds of water that smelled of humanity's unsaturated demands constantly hit us...

I don't like to complain when it is raining,  because even if I feel like I need to, there is no need. The rain was really really heavy today when walking. And constant. But if I think the other way around, and don't let my first thought get its hold on me, I can see so many good things with rain, ha ha! But I know, I know how hard it is focusing on doing so. But I also know it makes my life much easier. It is a bit  like mindfulness, isn't it? And I don't say I like to feel cold and wet on the oustide, no one does. But I am just trying to keep a warm feeling inside instead, like the rays of sun that I know are hidden behind those giant grey clouds. And knowing that same sun will soon shine again, also keeps me warm. A thought that hit me today though was how you made it Martin? When you walked from your hometown in Holland,  you had three weeks of rain in France, hadn't you? Then we can start talk about keeping a warm feeling inside.. .impreassive and one very big inspiration.

We felt warm when walking out of Norrköping today, and this is all because of everyone that welcomed us at the parish of Hedvig's church.  I am completaly sure I have never had such a good tasting vanilla bun before, and that together with fair trade coffe was a delight. We will have one for breakfast tomorrow as well!

Heading towards Söderköping tomorrow, and then we start walking west to Vadstena. The landscape of Östergötland is stunning and flowing in wonder. Many thanks to all of you living here permanent,  taking such a good care of it.

Eyes are just nearly open. Time to say goodbye and good night.

LOVE and PEACE,

Lovisa and Loïs

The song I wanted to share in yesterday's post!

Good morning!

I am having troubles in figuring out how to share a youtube clip on the blog, does anyone know how to do this :-)? But I think that if you follow this link you will be able to listen to the song that I wanted to share yesterday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crNtwZ8JVCc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Enjoy :-)!!

Tuesday 9 July 2013

''Did you give the world some love today?''


Music nourishes the soul. It gives our muscles the opportunity to relax, and so our head and brain can do too. It is meditative if we close our eyes and let go.
We have been to two concerts on this trip, both in churches. The sound echoes in the dome-shaped rooms, as churches often are, and the high ceiling helps the sound of music to echoe, travel and elevate higher and higher. From time to time it is even hard to recognize where the different sounds were born. And the sound also changes a bit when it rebounds from the cold stonewalls..


Loïs and I listened to this song today when having an early break in the morning sun. It is no doubt a feel-good song. Lyrics are just simple and easy. It was my dear dear friend Sofia recommended it to me. I remember what you said too. Today this is your song though,  because it reminds me of you and your warm narrow-eyed smile.
Happy birthday. You know I wish I could spend it together with you.

Before I go to bed I will listen to this song once more and then reflect on it's simple message. 

I hope that you have had a lot of sunshine today, that have energized your body and soul.

Tomorrow we will continue on Klosterleden, moving south and then soon we will reach Söderköping!


Sleep tight.


Peace, Love

Lovisa and Loïs

Monday 8 July 2013

Connected dependence

Good evening all of you!

The route Sörmlandsleden that we took from Eskilstuna,  didn't really live up to our expectations... Before we started that route, we told each other that it from now on would be MUCH easier to walk. We thought that we would only have to concentrate on walking and only walking.  Moving our legs in the right direction. How hard can it be? There would be no more stopping every now and then waiting for heavy trucks to pass. There would be no more stopping every now and then looking at the map just to make sure we had chose the, first - most beautiful, and Secondly safest way.
But things didn't quite turn out that way, or the way we had expected.  You can never know, that  is for sure, but you often have some kind of idea. Maybe we put all our trust in ourselves and our capability.  This quote by Paulo Coelho sums it up, even though I can't say it guided us this time, ha ha:

''No one knows what is going to happen the next moment.  But still people move forward,  because they have trust, because they have faith.''

-----> So what happend was we needed to rest. Mostly I. So one day of rest turned into two. And I am happy I'm not on any kind of schedule. Tomorrow we will hit a walking route called ''Klosterleden'' ( the route of Monastries'', a pilgrims-route! We will then follow it to Vadstena, a pilgrims-town. Wonderfully situated by the shores of Vättern,  Sweden's second biggest lake.

Connected dependence. The first Camino I did to Santiago de Compostela changed many of my believes. Or ''changed'' might be the wrong word to use here. Developed is better. I developed and searched for my believes on a deeper level than I had before. And many people, that also became friends, different circumstances,  were all a part of this development. And people and circumstances were Connected.  They always are. There is no such thing as independence. It may look like we are all independent, and that we are seperate. And what we learn is that being independent is what really counts in the end. Sometimes I even think it sounds like that if we are independent, and if we act as if we are,  we can conquer the world. I believe that that there are so many good reasons for believing in dependency, rather than independency. What I do and what I say will affect others.
I am trying to forget about independence. But forgetting about it doesn't mean I don't believe in the power of the will, that is inside of us all. Will, dependence and a sense of being connected is something we all need. And when we have realized that we are not independent, but dependent, this will naturally lead us in the good direction. Doing good to myself then also means doing good to the earth and all the different species living and loving on it.

Take care and have a good nights rest.  We need each other. Today and tomorrow.

Love and Peace,

Lovisa and Loïs

Sunday 7 July 2013

''Home is whenever I'm with you''

For more than one year I have dreamt about truly embrace this journey, this long walk. To sail out and to lose shore for a while. The dream is deeply rooted. It's roots have held on to my consciousness for a long time. And when I write ''for a long time'', Im not thinking about time as something linear, but more circular, since the thought and dream of doing this has been the first thought speaking to my mind every morning when I have woken up, and then it has been circuling around in my head the whole day.
I can't say I never had problems with the realisation and acceptance of this dream, because when dreaming, about anything,  there are always moments of doubts. When you start question yourself and if you are doing the right thing - moving in the right direction. These doubts are just natural I believe. When doubts hit you, they might seem a bit scary first, shaking the ground you are walking on. But I always come to the conclusion that we need times of doubts and questions, in order to finally reach some kind of satisfaction. After all, for me, it is exactly the possibility of realizing a dream, that makes life interesting. Small or worldwide - it doesn't matter.  What matters is to listen to your heartbeat.

I believe I have all this contemplations right now since two very beloved friends, Mirjam and Sofia, came to visit me and Loïs yesterday, in Norrköping where we are now. And this was the second time they came since we stared to walk. I love them with all my heart for who they are and what they have become, and for the different paths they are walking on. We have known each other for quite a while now, been through times of troubles, but always found the right way out of the tunnel, where the bright light gives you guidance. It is a special friendship, you just know. You just feel. You just say.
Mirjam said something very expressive earlier today when we sat by the river, eating icecream. It sums up the feelings that I have had the two and a half days we spent together this time. She said that when you are surrounded by the people you love, friends, family, it doesn't matter where you are. It is the people that matters. So this place naturally becomes your metropole.
It might sound simple and easy, but I'm not sure it is. Today, I think we often keep the wrong focus. We believe that in Changing our environment, bying that new sofa or tv, it will make us happier. That the external, material and physical environment is what's shaping and creating the best reality we can get and achieve. But then, in times of contentment or sorrow, it all leads back to the love we feel and share with the people we love. This is what truly shapes us. I am, because we are.

You make me think of this song, girls.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DHEOF_rcND8

I love you and you are in my mind, now and always. As Loïs said, being far away from eachother strengthens friendship. It sounds Strange in a way. But I believe it is true.

Enjoy the rest of your day everyone!!

Peace,  Love and eternal bliss,

Lovisa and Loïs

Friday 5 July 2013

Saying hello to the wilderness again!


The blog from yesterday :-)!!

And that also means saving battery again. So I won't be long today....

Today was mentally tough for me.  A lot of emotions started to circulate inside my head, but sharing them is almost always the best way I believe. Showing your true self. It is not easy, but I will practice and practice. We are here together, aren't we?

I miss you and I think of you all, and I carry you and what we have experienced together with me everywhere I go. It is always giving me strength when I most need it.

Pictures are from where we sleep tonight. Fire is OK, we have made better ones. Nature is splendid.  Magnificent - as it always is and always have been.  We have to help nature staying this way.

Good night :-)!

Wednesday 3 July 2013

Footprints in the sand

Tonight I'd like to share this text with you. When reading, I hope that you can, no matter what you believe or have faith in, take this text and relate to it in some way. In your own way. And then maybe also forget about the words and what you think of when you read them, because after all they are just words. What we use when to express something. The word Lord means something to someone,  while the world Love means something to someone else.  But can't Lord and Love be the same thing, depending on who is expressing them? Words are empty until we fill them with a feeling, thought or meaning.

A man called Roy, who has been so warm and open to us, shared this with us tonight. I hope you like it and that it creates a warm feeling inside of you, that will help you taking that leap that will get you on the ship that is sailing in the direction of your dreams. Sleep well.

''One night a person had a dream. The person dreamed
she was walking along the beach with the LORD.

Across the sky flashed scenes from her life.
For each scene she noticed two sets of
footprints in the sand: one belonging
to her, and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of her life flashed before her,
She looked back at the footprints in the sand.
She noticed that many times along the path of
her life there was only one set of footprints.

She also noticed that it happened at the very
lowest and saddest times in her life.
This really bothered her and She questioned the LORD about it:

"LORD, you said that once I decided to follow
you, you'd walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life,
there is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why when
I needed you most you would leave me."

The LORD replied:

"My child, my precious child,
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."

we are all united by Love.  I deeply believe in this.

Peace, Love and Eternal bliss,

Lovisa

Tuesday 2 July 2013

''I thought that cows would back off if you start to walk towards them''

Hi there again! Good evening!

We have really settled in again. The room is nicely designed and furnished. Warm colours.  Red and dark blue is fitting together in a perfect combination. Two components.At the moment of writing this I can hear the gentle sound of the beautiful old watch hanging on the wall, as it always has. Perhaps since the year of 1957, when this house was built.
So were are we? At the parish house, of the church in Katrineholm, (Katrineholmskyrkans församlingsgård). Again, the church welcomed us with open arms and again we almost could not believe how friendly people can be. We have met so many generous people since we started this journey,  and we know that many more will cross our path. I just can't wait to meet all of you out there!
With all this said I'd also like to add that this, by no means, does't say that we are not care-and thoughtfull before we make contact with people we meet on the road. After all, you have to be a bit cautious as well, seeing that there are people who for a while have forgot how to love and act, due to circumstances. I truly believe that good exists in every human being. In doing good we expand our hearts and relations. In doing good, being nice and friendly, we will ourselves benefit from it. Therefore,since everyone in the end benefit from it, doing good is inside all of us.

Now to the mysterious headline!
For the first time on this so far 12-day-walking-trip, we found ourselves a bit lost yesterday.  We had decided to walk 24 km, but when reaching that point we had to move on, another 4 km. The route we are on right now is a REAL forest hiking route, and I think this was not what we expected.  Mountains, rivers, big fallen trees that you have nooo idea how to jump/crawl over,- you name it! The landscape is stunning and very green, in bloom, but also very very tough to walk/crawl/jump.
Anyway, when we had walked 3 km more, we reached a meadow (hage), and we heard that something really really big was moving around there. COWS, at least 20 of them. Loïs tried to use the skills she got during her childhood, when she helped the farmer to herd, but it did not work out quite well, so we had to come up with some other tactics. I was a bit paralyzed and scared to be honest, because they moved towards us, not away from us. So thank you Loïs for staying much calmer than I ever could. After a while, we started to walk slowly out of the meadow, throwing our big backpacks over the fence, and then ourselves. And yeah, the rest is just a blurry paralyzed history that we already laugh about.

I just want to add as well that we carried less food than we actually really needed for walking in the woods, reaching no town on three days. But someone saved us again. Thank you Anette in Svalboviken for the food you gave to us, , unconditionally. Im not sure if we had managed to climb Eskilstuna highest mountain if we had not met you. Thank you!


A reflection: volunteering is nourising the soul don't you think?  And when you retire for example, this might be a good way of helping and still contributing to your community. Today we met four retired, all of them still giving and sharing. I hope that when I get old, life will show me that doing, helping and contributing, is the right direction.

Thank you for reading this looong blog. I had a lot to share today. Hope you enjoy it.

Peace, love and eternal bliss,

Lovisa and Loïs