Letting go

By: Hans de Boer

“What a big cat, huh!”

“Cat?!…. No, way too big.”

“What was it then?”

The silhouette of something large, brown, we saw it among the trees high above us. Just for a moment. Just long enough to know that we are not alone in this ‘infinite’ and beautiful nature that surrounds us on all sides. We are on a leadership Trail, with the Foundation for Natural Leadership, in Italy’s largest and oldest national park, Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo.

Our Italian guide didn’t see it. “What was it, Valéria?” “Don’t know. Maybe a bear? Let’s continue and keep our eyes open!” A bear?!…..

There are five of us. Accompanied by our two facilitators from the Foundation, and Valéria, of course. All on a journey with our own personal ‘Trail-question’. The theme for each of us during this expedition. I have decided to confront a recurring dilemma of mine, these days. In essence, it’s about ‘letting go’.

The Foundation’s leadership program is designed to facilitate you as a participant on your personal journey. A journey to what preoccupies you but for which you never really allow yourself the time. The power of nature and the rhythm of the day help you on your way.

I look at my fellow travelers as we continue in silence. Strange, we only met yesterday, but I already feel a strong bond between us.

I swing the door of the mountain hut, where we spent the night, wide open. It’s very early, everyone is still asleep. But it has frozen, and the sun is shining. I want to be a part of that!

Not even 5 meters away from me, there he is. Upright. In the sunshine. The grass is frozen, a white sheet. Clear blue sky and the Abruzzo mountains as a backdrop. His brown eyes look straight at me. And so, we make contact. It seems like an eternity; we don’t move but just look at each other. The fox and I. And then he calmly turns around and trots away. Without saying goodbye. At least, that’s how it seems. But for the rest of the week, the fox ‘walks’ with me.

And my issue with ‘letting go’? Maybe just like that fox. Do what you want to do and make your own decisions. And when the time comes; turn around and trot on…….