Breath

Here’s Youpie!
And he’s back to give a quick heads up on the situation back in Holland. Since 31st of januari, I’ve been back after my 5 month internship in Thailand. Now that a month has passed I should be able to say that I am fully rehabilitated into the Dutch way of living and life. And, generally, that is correct. Back into the tight schedules, law and order, rules and so on. This might sound not too positively, but it has its upsides as well. It’s nice to know what to expect from time to time. Then again, here is a big but.

BUT it is kinda choking as well. Back in school you are being guided, directed, led to any direction the teacher/school wants you to go. Sure, you have some influence (for example, I am a member of the Education Committee), but the educational framework also works inherently as a kind of girdle. There’s not much space to breathe. And Thailand, Koh Pha Ngan, CORE sea cut the rope that’s kept the girdle tight.
I found space to breathe, and since I didn’t have to worry about choking anymore, I could take some calm, deep breaths and open my eyes for the environment around me. And what I saw, was beautiful and frightening at the same time. Beautiful, because the environment simply IS! Palm trees hugging white beaches. A hot sun warming up the gorgeous seas. But its beauty reveals painfully clear how threatened everything is.

The gorgeous coral reefs of yesteryear almost are no more. Shattered coral reefs, mostly anthrogenic. Not because people want to destroy coral reefs, it’s just because people don’t know any better. Many think they are rocks, not delicately self-built homes by (generally) tiny, tiny (1 mm) creatures. They have the ability of making their own homes, and are quite capable of not only making functional homes, but are esthetic geniuses as well. Colors, shapes, forms, styles, patterns. Humankind can learn a lot. But then again, the same people then stand on it to keep their head above water. They do that to tell each other, excited as they are, how gorgeous the reef is! Not knowing that, while they are talking about it should be conserved and protected, they trample the very thing they would love to protect!
There is so much that can be done. So much that must be done. Even more that already should have been done already! This is what I have seen, now that I had some time and space to breathe.
I know that there is so much out there. Beautiful things that are very, very vulnerable. Things I would like to save.

Now I am here, back in Holland, rope tightly knotted behind my back. Unable to reach, but that is maybe not too bad. This tightness keeps you focused. And it actually does train me. Breathing under pressure is difficult, but it is quite vital.
And every now and then, I secretly undo the knots a bit, and my mind wanders off to the most beautiful places. One day, I will keep my back straight and undo the girdle forever. Until then, I keep training.

'Breathe, breathe in the air. Don't be afraid to care' - Pink Floyd

-Youp out


(Disclaimer, a girdle, proven in the movie Lethal weapon 3, perfectly normal.... I suppose :P)