Don’t waste energy on the past

It is sometimes impossible to explain why we humans have to experience one thing or another. It is also almost impossible to plan where the river of life will take you. I was in good spirits on the day of my fall. In my opinion, not overworked, not lost in thought, not stressed in any way and I felt centered. So no reason or reason to simply fall off the bike. And yet it happened. But since Tanja and I are sure that everything that happens in life makes sense, even the events we describe as negative, my fall must carry a message. Here in our nice, friendly sports hotel, we have the time to review parts of our wonderful and interesting journey so far.

“Maybe there isn’t a cause behind everything that happens,” I think and ponder. “Maybe you shouldn’t brood so much,” I hear the voice of Mother Earth. “That’s right, I don’t like it either. But the brooding and thinking comes whether I like it or not. There must have been a reason for this fall, right?” “Have you ever thought that you can’t question everything? That you simply accept events like the fall? Accept it without blaming yourself or anyone else for it. Take it as a fact and try to accept the resulting pain. Don’t fight it, but give it the space it needs until it goes away on its own. Have you thought about the fact that this is the simple message?” “You mean the fall happened because it happened. Just because? And the learning task for me could be to simply accept such events calmly without questioning them?” I wonder. “Wouldn’t that be a plausible possibility?” “Hm, that’s not a bad idea. That would mean accepting everything that happens without questioning it too much. There could actually be an emptiness in that. If you can manage that, it’s probably easier to live. But surely I can’t accept everything without asking questions? Surely there are things in our world that simply have to be questioned?” “Indeed there are. There are many things you can question. That’s another task. To distinguish between what you should question and what you recognize as unchangeable. Your little accident is irreversible, a fact that can no longer be undone. Regardless of whether you ask why and how, your knee is swollen and you have suffered a whiplash injury. That is a fact. The important thing now is not to put your energy into the past, but to direct it towards getting better as quickly as possible. Anything else would be a waste of time and therefore a waste of your available energy. Do you understand that?” “Yes, yes. Absolutely. But once I’ve analyzed why one thing or another happens, I can prevent it from happening again.” “Well, let’s go back to the starting point of our conversation. Your fall happened because it happened. That means there is no justification for another fall of this kind. That’s why it makes no sense to waste time thinking about the whys and wherefores. That makes sense to you, doesn’t it?” “Absolutely. So that means that events happen to us humans that are unalterable, that we can’t influence. When we humans experience something unpleasant for us, it is usually wiser to accept it and make the best of it instead of putting energy into the past. Because the past is unchangeable. Did I understand that correctly?” “Exactly. That is at least one important aspect. Of course, we can continue the conversation. But it will then become more and more convoluted and have an incomprehensible outcome for you at the moment. That’s why it’s better to internalize this insight first until you encounter another life task that you would like to question. Now enjoy your stay here, which we have given you, and recharge your batteries for the rest of your journey,” I listen to Mother Earth’s voice.

In fact, this place is like a miraculous gift. The head of this state-run house is a doctor who is visited every day by sick people from the area. Like his staff, he is extremely courteous and friendly. The space is perfect for my recovery. It is a kind of health and spa center for the region. Therapy riding is offered for children. Athletes can train under medical supervision. According to the head physician Wala, the Selenium delta is filled with hot healing springs, which were closed after perestroika and are now being reopened for spa guests. In the evening, I take a walk along the banks of the Selenga, which has meandered through the hilly steppe landscapes of Mongolia to flow into the Baikal not far from here. I enjoy the glowing sunset until the mosquitoes chase me away. The days pass quickly. We sleep until eight or nine in the morning, have a hearty breakfast, spend some time writing or reading, then have an hour’s massage from blind Tonja and philosophize a lot. Today they heated up the banya (sauna) especially for me. Because Tanja does not tolerate them well, I will enjoy them alone. My neck is feeling much better and the swelling has gone from my knee. It is only 65 kilometers to Ulan-Ude. This should not be a problem. From there, the Mongolian border is only 200 kilometers away. If everything stays in flow, we will reach them at exactly the right time. Unfortunately, the Siberian summer has completely disappeared at the moment. Temperatures have dropped from 25 degrees to 4 degrees and at night, Father Frost takes over for the first time. At two degrees below zero, it is still merciful with us, but temperatures in this region can continue to fall quickly and drastically.

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