Shikoku - Conclusion

Slow Down & Be Kind

There just aren’t enough words to sum up how completely amazing this trip has been but that won’t stop me trying. On the last day we ended where we began at temple 43. The scene could not be more different. Two weeks ago it was cold, grey and rainy; today it is bright, warm and sunny. I know it may sound a little cliché but I think that contrast reflects my feelings well. When we first started I was thinking a lot about work and feeling down and stressed out. Now, I feel great, refreshed and ready for another year.

It has been great to take some time out and just slow down. To enjoy things that I never really think about from day to day; tress, bugs, clouds. I have spent hours taking pictures and enjoying what’s all around instead of worrying about stupid insignificant things. At times when we tried to rush the trip, we were reminded of this. One day we were rushing to try and see an extra temple and we just couldn’t find it. It was behind us the entire time if we’d taken the time to drive slowly we would have seen it. On another day we tried to push ourselves and ended up having huge fight and getting nowhere. It was as if someone was trying to remind us that it wasn’t a race and we should slow down. Applying that to our lives in general seems a good idea too.

Finally, be kind. This is such a simple thing to do an yet in this messed up world of ours we seem to have forgotten how to do it. The kindness of the people we have met in Shikoku has been overwhelming and I hope we were kind to them. The simple idea of karma, giving and receiving, we actually saw it on a daily basis and it just seemed to make the world a nicer place. I know, I know cliché and corny but it’s true. Meeting an exhausted pilgrim halfway up a mountain and giving him some fresh fruit and water and telling him Gambatte seems such a small thing but they really appreciated it. In return, we appreciated the simple gestures of kindness made towards us. On orange from one priest, a bookmark from another, help with finding onsens, restaurants; such small things but it made all the difference.

Thank you Shikoku, I will remember you always!