As you know by now, Yours Truly is an empath, and in times like these, being an empath is more of a curse than a blessing. Bombarded with ever-changing news of the state of our world – not only are we still dealing with The Plague, but there’s also a war in Ukraine going on, started by an unhinged madman in the Kremlin, and all the other crap that’s going on -, what happens is that at some point, your mind’s on overdrive.
I find myself lying awake every night until way past 1am, mostly even past 2am, as my mind won’t stop racing. Flooded with those fast paced thoughts, my body, albeit feeling tired, cannot seem to rest.
The good news is that I have some stuff lined up for the next couple of days and weeks, so maybe that will help.
I am also fortunate to live in the district of Spandau. And Spandau is full of gorgeous spots to spend time in. To unwind. So a little while ago, I decided to make a little trip to Rieselfelder Karolinenhöhe, a protected area of meadows & waterways with grazing farm animals, popular for hiking & biking (source: google). Located in Gatow (Gatow also has a former RAF airfield which now works as a museum of German Air Force), you wouldn’t think that you’re still in good ole Berlin.
But you are.
Albeit some say that Spandau doesn’t belong to Berlin, but that’s another story for another time.
As I was walking around there, I felt peace. A fresh breeze cleared my mind for a while. I barely met a single soul there, due to the area being so huge, and if I did, it was mostly people with horses (not necessarily riding) or others who made use of the gorgeous weather. As mentioned above, there are farm animals to be seen, and well, that is also a scent you will find there. But when you grew up in the country side like I did, you won’t mind that at all! I mostly saw horses, though.
And while I did have my iPod with me, I didn’t have my headphones in. I wanted to listen to the sounds of nature there. Birdsong. Wind rustling in the leaves. That kinda thing. I simply went my merry way there, stopping here and there for bird watching, or, you know, drink a bit.
What makes Rieselfelder so exciting, too, is that there are such different types of path to walk on. Cobble stones, asphalt, but also typical dirt tracks …and this. A real sandy one. I couldn’t help but joke, “Which way is the beach, please?”
Like, would YOU expect such a path somewhere in Berlin (aside from maybe one of our big lakes)? See! Berlin is SO MUCH MORE than “just” a huge moloch, you just have to know where to go to for some greenery and nature! Since I liked the area there so much and there are still some other paths for me to stomp around on, I am already planning on going there again. I remember that I was sitting on the bus on my way home and smiling because of the lovely time I had out there, all by myself.
As they say – never stop exploring! And exploring this city sure is interesting. Finding those little spots where you can escape to from the humdrum of the daily life and all its trials and tribulations for a bit. A much needed time out when things are overwhelming. I found the sights, sounds and smells of Mother Nature there to be really soothing and calming. My mind was occupied with taking in all of that – as opposed to scary stuff in the news.
The problem with being an emapth here is that I suck in all those negative energies, too. Like a sponge. No wonder my mind’s on overdrive and won’t let me sleep early – which I know would be much better than my current shenanigans re: bed time. Since I have an appointment with my doc coming up soon, I will tackle that issue with her, too, and hope to find a solution. Let’s see how this goes!
For now, I am just glad that I have several opportunities and options to choose from when I want to find some (much needed) peace and quiet.
*****
“Mona Lisa Overdrive” is the third novel in the “Neuromancer” trilogy by William Gibson; it’s also a track on the “Matrix: Reloaded” OST
Ocean Soul 