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Today I met an inspirational lady by the name of Isa whilst having a coffee at Raglan roasters. Talking with her has been one of the conversational highlights of my trip. She was one of those people I imagine I could have sat with for hours not being aware of time passing and not having even touched on the knowledge and wisdom she has to share. I guess meeting people and writing about how they made you feel is a very personal thing and a person that resonates with me might be of no interest to someone else but we all know the feeling so it's that part that's easiest to relate to. For me, encounters like this are magical on a completely different level to experiences with nature and adventures. Like I mentioned in my Franz Josef blog, there is an immense feeling to be gained from being at one with nature, realising that what you thought you were missing is all around you in abundance with no price tag. There is also great nourishment to be gained from your fellow human being. Nourishment of the soul and mind (or brain, whatever swing on it you have!) that sets you up for the day, week or even month. As wonderful as being carefree, travelling and indulging in whatever takes your fancy is, I think there is, in all of us, an innate need to stimulate our brains, to learn, to better ourselves in whatever manner it is we find most satisfying. There is little way, in my opinion, that we can do this in isolation without people and that is why I relish opportunities like that which presented itself today, to sit and talk with a wonderful person like Isa. I feel fuller coming away from that than I would have staying in the hostel or rambling about alone. I know I know, I'm starting to sound contradictory rights? I've talked about connection to nature and being alone as a tool to help uncover parts of yourself..but what I suppose I'm trying to say and what I'm coming to feel more strongly about is how complex and multifaceted development and learning are and how key different influences, emotions and opinions are in developing oneself - things found only in the company of others. As Isa so importantly pointed out today and I won't quote as it's never strictly the same,- we aren't individuals and thinking of ourselves in isolation from others is what causes many of our problems in society today. We have lived in different types of groups and communities for centuries, always being interdependent and consistently reliant on someone as a source of whatever we might need - so what makes us think we can go it alone?
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