Dear Pilgrim*,

A long time ago I heard about a museum with a very peculiar approach. At the entrance, the visitor was invited to hold a rope and be sure not to let it go at any time until reaching the exit door.
The walk inside the museum was done in total darkness, but with a twist. It was an audio museum. The information was given by spoken word and stories.

Without the rope, you wouldn’t be able to understand much of the reality unfolding in front of you. The cord in your hand would also help you get out of the building safely.

The exercise was pretty sophisticated. You would need to use your feet and hands to sense your way forward. Your hearing capacity to absorb the content and finally, your imagination would assist you to picture and create forms out of the sounds — an incredible trip to say the least.

Every time I think about this description I related it quickly with our lives.

Sometimes I can hear what life is telling me, but I cannot see clearly what should I do. Other days I can sense the challenges underneath my feet, it is solid ground, but moving is as scary as walking into the darkness of a hallway. Think about yourself for a moment.

What gives you hope? Do you see a relationship between hope and trust?

I am sure you are familiar with the optimism generated when you buy a lottery ticket or make a prayer before receiving the results of an exam.
We are living challenging times. Our world seems a little bit like the museum I mentioned before, filled with doubts, divisions, and darkness.

Do you think it could be useful to feed regularly your life with meaningful reasons to believe?

For me, the solution is a mixture of purpose and meaning. An invisible hand made visible by combining what I love to do, what I am good at and the possibility of fulfilling a need or desire of others or myself.
My “rope” helps me to take full responsibility for my goals. Step by step, the actions I take, help me support the change I want to see happening.

Sometimes, we don’t find our rope easily, and that’s why "walking" with someone can be such a critical moment in our lives. Remember, you don’t have to go on your own. At the end of the day, we are all pilgrims on the same journey. In the meantime,

🚶Keep walking with me
João Perre Viana
Founder of Walking Mentorship

* Pilgrim – A pilgrim (from the Latin peregrinus) is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) who is on a journey (usually on foot) to a special place.