Our guest blogger David Erskine shares insights from his travels in Western Greece.
I recently spent over two weeks in the Peloponnese towns of Finikounda, Elafonisos, and Monemvasia, Greece. It was also an opportunity to keep the European and American families connected, as my mother requested before she passed away many years ago. It was also an homage to a 1971 reunion between my mother’s siblings in Germany and their children in Gmunden, Austria.
My mother grew up in Dresden, Germany, in the 1920s and 1930s, and our trip last month was a family reunion between our California and German families. We all traveled to Greece to honor my mother’s legacy and her request. My German uncle’s son and daughter attended the reunion, as did my cousin’s two grown children and my daughter. I was glad to see that the legacy continues for another generation.
Epiphanies from the trip
Traveling from San Francisco, where I live, to Greece involves crossing ten time zones. The travel and my time in Greece provided a foundation for three epiphanies I experienced, which I’m happy to share with you here.
- Clarity. I’ve been studying the writings of the ancient Stoics and Eckert Tolle on being present. It has become a mental exercise as I try to undo the unconscious mind and become more conscious, living more in the moment. I woke up the first night in Greece around 3 am, thanks to jet lag. As I listened to the Ionian Sea outside my window, it dawned on me that I was truly present. Between the distance, lack of noise, TV, and internet, my mind was clear. I was not worried or concerned about anything, except where my morning run would take me on the following day.
- History & Perspective. On June 4th, we walked through the ruins of Messini, built circa 3 BC. I’m an actor, so it literally took my breath away to walk into an amphitheater where actors walked the stage centuries ago. I had the same experience seeing my daughter and her cousin walk into the sports arena where athletes competed so long ago. Part of this breathtaking experience was how much perspective and context were added to my life. The expansiveness, age, and many other aspects of what we saw there reminded me that living in the present, controlling what I can, and dismissing the rest is a gift.
- Gratitude. I am so thankful for all the Greek people I met and shared a conversation, laughter, and connectedness. Not long ago, I was reminded of how important (and easy) it is to bring joy to someone every day, perhaps with a smile or a laugh. The Greeks understand this and practice it every day. I was reminded of that great line from another classic, the Beatle’s song The End which goes:
“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”
David Erskine, World Traveler, Poet, Actor, Taxi-Driver…Blogger
