"Travelers, there is no path. Paths are made by walking."
- Antonio Machado
Antonio Machado was a Spanish poet born in 1875 and was part of the Spanish literary movement "Generation of '98" (1898 obviously, not 1998). His quote actually comes from one of his poems in his series Proverbios y Cantares:
"Wanderer, your footsteps are
the road, and nothing more;
wanderer, there is no road,
the road is made by walking."
(Translated text obtained from Wikipedia, and the original Proverbios in Spanish can be viewed here.)
The Generation of '98 movement was marked with frustration with Spanish politics and society. This was against the backdrop of the revolution against the Spanish monarchy in 1868 to 1873, followed by the short-lived First Spanish Republic, and the Restoration of a constitutional monarchy in 1874 (which the Generation opposed). They advocated a return to old Spanish ideals and the development of intellectual thought outside of politics.
People are often pushed to blaze new trails by a cause, a message that they wish to send to everyone else. Most of us living in the Internet-age, in a first-world country, we want to do that. Everyone wants to make something of themselves, wants to push the boundaries, etc. Because we are now in positions with means and opportunities available to us. Yet most of us are also afraid to stray beyond our comfort zone - because after all, most of us were born in comfort. I think the biggest challenge for our generation is learning to take a risk and stray from the paths already marked out for us.
"It is a mistake to look too far ahead. Only one link in the chain of destiny can be handled at a time."
- Winston Churchill
(First of all, what an awesome picture this is.)
Winston Churchill's full name, including his list of titles, is far too long to be written here. One of the most influential people in British history, he served as Prime Minister during WWII and led Britain as one of the first countries to oppose Nazi Germany. He was a great orator and his war speeches are still well-known today. Churchill was also a great artist, historian and writer. His works as the latter, including memoirs of British history and the war years, earned him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953.
Churchill also served in the military in various postings, and was the First Lord of Admiralty during WWI and WWII. Maybe it is the combined effect of having seen action and having led a nation through tumultuous times, that made him adopt the philosophy of never planning too far ahead. But even in the calm of a typical afternoon in a 21st-century first-world country I can see the wisdom in his words. In any future event there are too many unknowns. These days I have trouble knowing whether it is a time to take control or a time to let events take shape. For now, I will try to focus more on the present.
"Everyday is another chance for you to decide who you want to be. A chance to challenge yourself. To be a different version of you, a braver version. A person who isn’t afraid to grab joy and take it for a spin."
- Marin Frist, Men in Trees
Men in Trees is the story of Marin, a successful relationship advice guru, who discovers that her fiance has been cheating on her - and decides to stay in a small town in Alaska, the most recent stop on her book tour. The ratio of men to women in the town is about ten to one, hence the title of the series. ...I had to copy this synopsis from IMDb, because I never actually knew the plot of the series. Neither did I follow it religiously. Channel 5 used to show strange, unexpected shows like this at the odd hours after midnight and I would stay up to watch.
I remember liking the few episodes I watched, although I don't remember much of the characters or the story. But this quote happens to be one that strikes a chord with me every time I read it. Ever since I got back from London, I haven't been able to stop myself from staying up. What a calming contrast it is to the hustle and bustle of the day, the reasons for happiness but also disappointment. I almost feel myself Processing the deletion of Temporary Data, the wiping the slate clean, etc - in preparation for the new day.
Yes, if anything, I believe in the above. That if you're unsatisfied with yourself today you can try again tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that. And I do believe that you do change, in tiny little increments that will only be visible on a grand scale on the day you depart this earth. So -- take heart.
