Peaceful
- Kelly & Richard
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
We have left Poland and arrived in Lithuania. Here too, no border control thanks to the Schengen agreement. Even a border sign with cheerful EU stars on it is missing.
Traveling through Lithuania, we notice that freedom and independence have not always been defended by force. Sometimes a courageous collective resistance is enough. An impressive example of peaceful resistance took place on August 28, 1989. Two million people formed a chain between the capitals of Tallinn (Estonia) - Riga (Latvia) and Vilnius (Lithuania).
The human chain of over 600 kilometers was a protest against the Soviet occupation at the time. Not long after, Lithuania declared its independence. This was finally recognized by the Soviet Union on September 6, 1991.
Hill of Crosses
Another beautiful example of peaceful resistance is the Hill of Crosses . On a sloping hill in Northern Lithuania, there are thousands and thousands of crosses. From simple wooden crosses to crosses of gigantic dimensions. Each cross with its own story.
The Hill of Crosses was built in the 19th century as a memorial to deceased insurgents. It was repeatedly destroyed during the Soviet occupation, but was rebuilt each time by local believers. Today, the hill symbolizes Lithuanian resilience, Catholic faith and peaceful resistance. Its thousands of crosses make it an important place of pilgrimage and cultural heritage.
“Peace does not begin outside of us, but within ourselves”
Peaceful camper life
Our travel without end time is also generally very peaceful. We do not suffer from neighbourly quarrels or annoying colleagues and usually have nice interesting conversations with fellow travellers or with the locals.
Peace comes from within
What we increasingly feel is that true peace comes from within. Not from resolving conflicts or striving for world peace, but from peace within ourselves. When we are in balance, we look more gently at the world around us. Camper life helps us with that. The simplicity, the silence, the freedom – it invites us to return to the core. Far away from the hustle and bustle, we find space to simply be . It is precisely there, on the road in nature, that we experience it most strongly: peace does not begin outside of us, but within ourselves.
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Pause button
It may be easy to say when you are in a small bubble. In the peaceful camper life we do not have to take anyone into account and we do not know deadlines. This simple life makes room for peace in your head. Although we sometimes have trouble finding the pause button, slowing down remains our big challenge.
EUROPAPA
By the way, we notice that the people here, unlike us, are proud of their EU membership. The European flag flies in all major cities. At the same time, we also see many signs saying "made possible by the EU". Roads, city parks, monuments, all renovated with European funds. It is not really surprising that they are extra happy with the European Union here. Or do they simply do a much better job of EU marketing here?
Bad roads
Not all roads have been repaired with EU money... What a drama! The highways are generally fine, but the provincial roads are often very bad. The bad road surface is not repaved, no, only "plaster work" is done on the less good parts. This results in a patchwork of bits of asphalt and holes. Not exactly a nice relaxed drive. But hey, it is what it is, without fighting reality you experience more peace.
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