The End is characterized by the absence of something, and it is a sentence which bears a negative connotation. Typically, during my travels and in life in general this would be the part that I would drag the most. Saying our goodbyes, wondering if I would ever go back to wherever place I happen to be.
The end of an adventure can be so rewarding, so joyful so… sad actually. Once you reach that point you begin to wonder, “Where am I going next?” “Will we keep in touch?” “Can I stay just a little longer?” Somehow, one can feel nostalgia for an experience they are still having. That sounds very ambiguous, similar to how this article is called -The End- yet it is still one of the first in this project of ours. For some this might seem obvious, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t realise this recently: The End itself is not all that bad. I mean, sure we will miss the people we met, the activities we did, the places we saw, and the food we ate, but generally, upon returning to wherever we need to, this feeling of melancholia will follow us, and it can stay with us for a long time if we allow it.
But, unless I am dead, The End can only mean a new beginning is on the horizon. New adventures, new challenges, and new people. Similar to how listening to music not being about its final note, dancing is not about the last move and travelling is not only about the destination. There is no “end”. The goals aren’t actually the goals, they are merely checkpoints.
To demonstrate this, I will give an example with the famous Camino de Santiago.
For those who are unaware, the Camino de Santiago or the Way of St. James in English is an ancient pilgrimage trail where one aims to arrive in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, from various routes. It is a very poetic and insightful experience for many reasons, and one of them relates to The End.
You see, once you get to Santiago de Compostela, supposedly the end of your travel, take a picture with the Cathedral, stamp your passport, and go for some deserved beers, you will learn that there is actually another destination, further away from Santiago. Finisterre, which literally translates to “End of the Earth”.
My point is, there will always be new opportunities waiting for us around the corner, and during various moments in life we can get caught up in thinking we need to do a certain thing or be in a certain place before we can finally start enjoying life to the fullest, and that is not the case… Hence some people say, “life is a journey”, implying there is a specific place where one needs to get to, but to quote Allan Watts, “life is but a dance”.
gg wp