How does a Journey Begin? A Letter to the World
Written at the beginning of April, 2022, as we set off to cycle around the UK.
How does a journey begin?
With a single revolution. The pedals turn and months of preparation - years, in fact - carry us forward.
As we leave the quaint village of Finchingfield we breathe here with a smile of gratitude. Thank you to all who’ve made this moment possible.
We thank our parents and families who provide us with abundant moral support, generosity, and love every step along the way.
We thank our friends and all we know, past and present, who root us on and share love, advice and encouragement.
We thank our amazing sponsors who’ve made this journey a dreality. We can’t wait to share your awesomeness with the world!
Our gratitude extends to all the beings who inhabit this planet with us and create the beautiful world we are eager to discover.
We must always remember that this world is indeed beautiful.
We see through the suffering and pain into the hearts of our deepest desires and know that every being alive is bonded in a shared thirst for living fully. Everyone desires love, joy, freedom, play and ultimately, peace. Though some may deny it, our collective inner children know the truth.
Steven and I pause here on this day of setting off. Three decades and a bit more have brought us to this moment of living fully, and that is what we ask of you. Those words often sound cliche but we invite you to examine them as if hearing them for the first time. Examine your life. What does it mean to live fully?
Do not shy away from the things lurking in your heart. You know the things. Those secret whispers at night. Sometimes they scream loudly in our minds and we turn on the television or scroll social media to ignore them. Do anything but listen to those whispers! For if you slow down and pay heed to the whispering, you may break apart.
Maybe that’s what needs to happen. Slow down and break apart.
Shattered porcelain provides a unique gift to put the pieces back together in a different way. In fact, replace the antique porcelain all together. You were made to thrive, not sit dusty on a shelf to watch the long shadows fall in the same places day after day, wondering, what could have been? No matter your age or station in life, this present moment is all that matters.
A journey begins with a single revolution. A single decision. A single step. Courage to break the status quo. It doesn’t matter if you can walk or see or not, as countless others in the history of time have proven. Ask Steven Hawkins or Helen Keller. Two among thousands, millions. These are ordinary people who began journeys with the shared energy of determination.
The world today is a kaleidoscope of liberation and oppression. We have more freedom than ever before, yet face more daunting horizons than ever before. The freedoms come with abundant tools and avenues to express our creativity and become leaders on that horizon, planting seeds for the forests of healing.
We all have a responsibility now to become gardeners in this crucial season of change. Every action we take is either helping or hurting our existence. We know how difficult it feels at times to face this reality, ourselves dependent on destructive systems like you. We can’t help the world we were born into. What matters is the choice of today. Which path we choose today.
The choice Steven and I made to begin this journey is largely inspired by our desire for a different kind of society. One that is healthy, nature-connected, socially just, animal friendly and truly regenerative. We invite you to read the first draft of our Vision and invitation for you to join us. It paints the portrait of Pedals Turn, an ever-evolving landscape of thought and imagination.
Our intention is to go out into this world as it exists now, to feel first-hand all its beauty and imperfections, to listen, learn, create and share with you a vision for the oasis we all dream of. That reality where we can laugh, play and be joyful. How can we establish the system that empowers people to live fully without harming others? How can we grow the garden of abundance that embraces all beings with loving peace?
With these words we begin the journey that began long ago. This is merely the next chapter, perhaps the most epic of our lives yet. We hope you’ll join us in this peaceful, adventurous and creative revolution. Pedals turn, world spins.
Thank you for being here. Thank you for your kind support.
Love,
Steven & Karla
Written by Karla Sanders @karlasandersart | Photos by Steven Tiller @steventiller