I appreciate you asking but no thanks, I don't need a lift!

The city closest to the village I live in is St. Gallen. It takes you approx. 15 minutes by car to get into the centre, depending on the traffic. Same goes for the bus.

I'm one of those people that don't have a car. In fact, I don't even hold a driving license.

No problem at all, because as I mentioned before there's a bus into town every half an hour on working days.

I for my part prefer to walk. It takes my legs 1 1/2 hours to get into town or from town back home, depending on how quickly they move.

I love walking. And hiking. For me it signifies freedom. As I walk I can let my thoughts flow whilst listening to my favourite songs on the iPod. In this day and age walking is like an escape from the many dull hours we spend in a stuffy office starring into a computer.

I can feel the wind, take in a breath of fresh air. My gaze wanders over the familiar landscape and even though I've walked the same path hundreds of times, I notice something new every day.

All of this sounds very peaceful. But I can assure you that even a stroll can be a pain in the ass. Actually, I can't even walk 50m without getting interrupted by the driver of some stinky car. They slow down as they reach me, open the window, look up to me and ask: "Do you want a lift?"

I've stopped counting how many times I've heard that question. I can only remember to have accepted the offer once. My older sister was passing me by on her way home from work and she stopped, because she got the impression that I walked a bit funny. She was right. I was wearing brand-new Gabor sneakers and new shoes always lead to blisters in my case. Walking was a torture that night so I got into her car and only realized back home that I had a bloody heel and that my little toe was swollen and nearly had become the size of my thumb (well, almost).

Anyway, back to the drivers that don't seem to have better things to do than giving poor old Felicitas a lift. They are so wrecking my head! Mostly it's people I know. But sometimes it's strangers that have only moved to my village recently and whom I've never met before. So I do my best to sound friendly when I duck down to be at eye level with my 'friend in need' and say "Oh thanks, that's very kind of you. But I prefer to walk tonight. Maybe next time!". But what I actually want to say is: "Get moving, you lazy bum and leave me alone!" I mean, what has God given me feet for?!? People then hesitate for another moment: "Are you sure? It's a long way and it will get dark soon...". But before they've even finished their sentence I say "Bye now. It was nice to meet you!", turn away and keep walking. People then finally drive on and when passing me by they smile at me and wave or some of them love to honk the horn.

So now I'm wondering; why do people I barely know suddenly care about me? Do they really want to do me a favour? Or are they just lonely and want someone to talk to? In a man's case I sometimes get the impression he wants to bluff with his car and show off his driving skills. You're not Michael Schumacher, for christ's sake!!

I have yet to find an explanation for this odd behaviour. But I've decided to get myself a jacket or jumper with bright letters that say: "DRIVE THE FU*CK ON!"

Give me your eyes

An dieser Stelle möchte ich eine Begegnung mit einem ganz besonderen Menschen erwähnen.

Ich kann mich noch ganz genau an das Datum erinnern. Montag, 28. Dezember 2009. An diesem Tag ging mein Weihnachtsurlaub zu Ende und ich war abends für einen Air Berlin Flug nach Berlin Tegel gebucht. Am Dienstag musste ich wieder zu arbeiten beginnen.
Der Zufall wollte es, dass nicht nur ich den 16:11 Zug ab St. Gallen nach Zürich genommen habe, sondern auch ein junger Mann aus Volketswil. Und hey, nicht irgendein junger Mann. Sondern der 23-jährige Steven Mack. Nicht dass mir sein Name oder Geischt bekannt vorkamen, als er sich mir vorstellte. Zum Zeitpunkt seines Unfalls im Mai 2006 war ich wohl zu beschäftigt mit mir selbst, als dass ich von Steven's plötzlichem Schicksalsschlag etwas mitbekommen hätte.
Steven, ein begeisterter Extremsportler, ist seit einem schief gegangen Bungee-Sprung von der Gantner Brücke im Wallis blind. Seine Geschichte hat mich zutiefst berührt und ich bin dankbar, dass ich diesen tollen Menschen kennenlernen durfte.
Steven hat sich im Zug zu mir hingesetzt und von seinem Unfall sowie seinen Erfahrungen als Blinder erzählt. Leider musste ich nach gut einer Stunde am Flughafen Zürich aussteigen. Nur zu gerne wäre ich mit Steven noch stundelang weiter Zug gefahren. Dieser mir bis vor kurzem unbekannte Mensch hat mich an seiner Geschichte, seinem Leben teilhaben lassen. Und hat mir damit gezeigt, dass es möglich ist, sich auch nach einem derartigen Schicksalschlag wieder aufzurappeln und weiterhin Freude am Leben zu haben.

Hier nun ein zum Thema passendes Gedicht:

Seen

Seeing takes away the obvious
And the obvious causes strife,
Take away the obvious
And what’s left are mysteries of life.

Seeing takes away instinct
And the instinct creates a defense.
Take away the defense,
And you’ll find offense was your pretense.

Seeing takes away a conscience
And a conscience gives a heart.
Take away the conscience and your “self”
Will fall apart.

Blindness gives a strength
And strength gives esteem.
Take away the strength
And weaknesses are seen.

Blindness gives caution
And caution gives comfort.
Take away the comfort
And in will come the hurt.

Blindness gives a vision
And a vision gives a dream.
Take away the dream
And an emptiness is seen.

For the emptiness is caused
By all the strife in life
And no defense in a pretense
And a heart falling apart
That come with being...

Seen.