The adventure of the detail | Day 5 of my 2023 Journal

We are always traveling. Rarely have a plan, only sometimes prepare.

I think about a Danish poet, Dan Türell, who wrote in an essay: if you can not make an adventure out of your daily walk to the supermarket, there is no reason to go anywhere.

Yesterday I had a small adventure in the nature garden surrounding the house we are currently living in. The adventure has a context.

Two weeks ago, I trekked to a waterfall with my family, and we found an abandoned house, almost a ruin, with an animal cave digger underneath. It was a porcupine “cave.” We found the little sticks,and we were just amazed when we googled them: they are all over Italy, all the way to the aloes. Rare, obviously.

Fast forward, our host told me, that there is a cave in the garden, and then once, and one time only, has he seen a porcupine family in the garden.

So yesterday, I was out to find the cave, walking around under the trees, among the cacti, wet feet in the grass. It was beautiful, sunset light drizzling beauty, and I enjoyed it immensely.

Did I find the cave? The animal? No.

But I found peace. Beauty. Adventure. Presence.

And that is all I need.

Cecilie Conrad

#5 of my 365 writing challenge - Read them all here