Be still and go.

Self-reflection is a constant companion. I grapple with my ego, that lifelong inflation of knowing something, and find that true understanding often arrives quietly, simply what’s left when misunderstandings fall away. The idea that joy isn’t a specific place on the map but a state of being cultivated along the way takes root. I muse on past habits, like a restless heart that keeps me leaving even when surrounded by people who want more of me in their lives, a pattern I’m slowly trying to comprehend. This journey isn’t just about charting a course across continents; it’s about navigating the internal landscape too. Sometimes, as I lie awake, I wonder if my inability to sleep is the body keeping score, a reflection of times I haven’t been true to myself.

Jon Batiste’s wisdom that “you have to go there to know there” resonates deeply, a truth this walk affirms with every sunrise.

This leg through Turkey is teaching me so much, not just about this fascinating country, but about the nature of human connection, the quiet power of simply showing up, and the understanding that all hatred, all anger, is simply a lack of understanding. The road ahead stretches long towards India, and I walk on, curious to see what each new day, each new encounter, will reveal.