“I too have germinating power” – pilgrim’s account and haikus by Wilma Slinger

What a creative and uplifting report we received from Wilma Slinger, our 15,724th pilgrim: thank you Wilma!

Not everything is right
Moving forward in one straight line
But no less beautiful

“I decided to sit on a bench more often, even though I wasn’t tired…” – report by Wilma Slinger

“As a pilgrim 15,724, I completed the Walk of Wisdom on Saturday, August 24. It didn’t look like that at first: an unexpected ICU admission to the family caused a lot of unrest on walking days five and six and finally made me decide to go home… and… Then, suddenly, there appeared to be progress and I was able to change the shoes again and walk on.

And I still say on day four ‘where are the hardships?’ … Because it was fantastic: the weather, the people along the way, the experience of making such a hike alone for the first time. Nothing to the detriment of walking with my husband, but this was also very good. I wanted to walk in confidence that I could do this on my own and that the right things would come my way.

The day of my mother’s birthday was touching, she hasn’t been here for a long time… I walked with her in mind that day… rested on a bench on the heath, looked back and saw a memorial plaque with a text from a daughter for her deceased mother…

I also consciously wanted to slow down instead of ‘through-on-door’ and so I had taken eight walking days. I decided to sit on a bench more often, even though I wasn’t tired… The first time I did that, two deer walked by…

These kinds of magical moments have given me a feeling of being carried. The start ceremony also ensured that I never felt alone, there were more on the route .

I now owe an hour of chatting with pilgrim coach Lidia. Highly recommended if, for example, you want to reflect in advance on the intention with which you want to enter the tour and afterwards on your experiences.

Thank you to everyone involved in this trip and this beautiful ritual, it has brought me more self-confidence and confidence. “

Wilma Slinger

Haikus

The wood lathyrus blooms

In the dark Reichswald

It’s okay to stand out!

They include your

Who you are now and who you want to be

Those warm arms

Look into the future

To your own life path

Follow in confidence

Fifty shades of green
In a very large forest
Give peace in me

Wandering around alone
Still feel part of it
of the group of pilgrims

A transformation

Fueled by the energy

I too have germination capacity

Not everything is right
Moving forward in one straight line
But no less beautiful

This is how a pilgrimage tradition grows

With our foundation, we leave pilgrims free to fill in their Walk of Walk of Wisdom themselves. But how happy we are when pilgrims take the trouble to write and send in a report at the end. In this way, something of the personal journey of a pilgrim becomes visible and our young pilgrimage route grows. After all, what one person experiences can also inspire others. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll walk the route and think back to a report from a previous pilgrim…

Would you also like to submit a report? Mail [email protected]. It can also be done anonymously or with just your first name.