May 18, 2024

I enjoy the morning sun and get up feeling relaxed and calm. I decide to take a sort of rest day today to write—suddenly I feel the need. I also really need to do some laundry, so I go looking for a nice spot where I can do both. But I don’t have much luck—no lovely places by a lake or stream this time. Either there are houses nearby, or the lake is inaccessible. That happens a lot too: you can’t get to the water easily because of mud, reeds, or dense vegetation.

Walking is tough today; it feels like I have lead in my legs. I don’t cover many kilometers (just 17) and take lots of breaks. But I do complete the Nydalaleden (a pilgrim route that’s part of the Saint Birgitta Ways) and arrive at the beautiful monastery of Nydala. Just as I get there, the bells begin to ring—so beautiful, such a warm welcome!

And then suddenly there’s a shift in my mind. Why get up early? Why push to walk lots of kilometers? Why feel like I have to do anything? All at once I’m able to see this first month as a vacation, a transition into the next phase of my journey—whatever that may be. I know, it might sound silly, but this is just how my brain works. I’m on vacation!

And so I move on, feeling a lot lighter, and end up finding a perfect sleeping spot in a beautiful meadow, slightly tucked away behind some trees. I feel very at peace.