So, we’ve decided on this journey. But what if it gets long and tiring? Well, that will depend on us. Every journey has unique, fascinating features. If we look out for these attention-grabbers along the way [and there will be many], the interest they generate will keep our spirits up. Come let’s get started.

We now need to do two things in preparation.

• Check ourselves – do some introspection
• Create a conducive atmosphere – to give us the best chance.
  
  

Why do we need to examine ourselves? Because, unknown to us, we bring along a cartload of notions and ideas that can impede or divert us. Built up over the years, they cannot be rooted out easily, even when the stakes are high. How many peace-talks between the Palestinians and the Israeli’s have broken down because of hatred and suspicion handed down from previous generations? Centuries after declaring “All men are equal…” people still cannot shake off their in-grained sense of superiority. In ordinary situations too, like in a home, we go by pre-set values that we are unwilling to change. I heard of a father who had drawn up a list of fifteen criteria that a suitor would have to meet before he could even talk to his daughter! Or take the mother who, on visits to her daughter’s home, would toss out from the fridge everything that was not in line with her idea of a vegan diet! All of us have our own baggage.