THE WONDER IN THE EYES

An invitation to rediscover the beauty of the world and the joy of living

If you are looking for a travel experience that is different from the usual, this could be the ideal choice for you. An “Author’s Journey” represents a unique and personalized experience, a journey through places and cultures guided by an expert figure, a true “author” of the journey. Unlike traditional tourist trips, this experience allows you to focus on deep immersion in the local culture, meeting local people and discovering hidden and authentic corners, specific to a certain place. You already know that, thanks to his in-depth knowledge of the territory and his passion for the subject, the author of the journey you are experiencing together with some friends, will be able to offer you an enriching and unforgettable experience. He has parked the car on the edge of an uphill road, now, skis on your shoulders, you are walking towards the ski resort that you glimpse between the trees. You are sure that he will reveal the secrets and peculiarities of that forest.

“Among the ways in which an Author’s Journey can broaden your cultural horizons, there is not only the contact with different cultures, traditions, habits and customs, stimulation of curiosity and learning.” Your guide, standing on a wooden bridge, looks around, stretches out his left arm towards a tree and invites you to consider the journey, any journey, even that path in the woods, as an opportunity to deepen your passions and interests. “You won’t believe it, and yet, these trees will stimulate your curiosity.” Skis on your shoulders, you start walking again among the trees and your breathing becomes labored. You wonder why your guide gave up on parking the car next to the ski lift. “Facing new challenges, even this one, getting out of your comfort zone, experiencing unexpected situations, can help you overcome your limits, develop new skills and strengthen your self-esteem.”

As you trudge uphill, reflection and introspection seem to hide among the trees. “Could this journey also be a moment of pause from my daily routine, an opportunity to reflect on myself, on my goals and desires?” you ask yourself, taking stock of your life, aware that you will have to make new decisions. “My guide has deliberately chosen this path. A journey into nature, in uncontaminated places, could foster a deeper contact with my emotions and sensations, help me find an inner balance.” Standing next to a felled tree trunk, the guide invites you to look carefully around you. “During an Author’s Journey you can meet interesting people, with unique life stories, with whom you can share experiences and emotions, creating meaningful bonds that can enrich your life.”

“Discovering new talents and passions,” exclaims the guide, looking around. He explains that the journey can be an opportunity to discover new talents and passions, to try out different activities, to test yourself in new contexts, to open the way to new opportunities and interests. “An Author’s Journey can be a transformative experience, an opportunity to enrich yourself, to grow as a person, to discover new passions and talents, to broaden your cultural horizons and to live unforgettable experiences. Ask yourself why you photographed some chopped tree trunks. Believe me, you will find unpredictable answers.” You are stunned; you are unable to answer him. You rest your skis on a moss-covered rock, take your cell phone out of the front pocket of your snow jacket and lift your sunglasses up into your hair.

You look at the images you have captured inside the forest one by one. You are aware that the wonder in the eyes of a child is a spectacle that enchants and moves. Your pure, sincere gaze, capable of capturing the beauty and magic of the world around you, has explored every detail among the trees. “Absence of prejudice,” says the guide, placing a hand on your shoulder. “Children do not yet have filters and preconceptions that cloud their vision. They see the world with new eyes, free from superstructures and interpretations.” He explains that the ability to be amazed by small things, a tree trunk that smiles at you or a flower that blooms, the flight of a butterfly or a rainbow after the rain, are a precious gift that adults often lose.

Children feel a deep connection with nature, with animals, with trees. Nature is for them an open book, full of wonders to discover. The wonder in the eyes of a child is an expression of joy, enthusiasm, vitality. It is the ability to find beauty and positivity even in the simplest situations. “How can you preserve that wonder of theirs? Feed your curiosity, ask questions, explore, experiment. Give yourself opportunities for learning and discovery, in any context. Educate yourself about beauty, appreciate any form of art in the exact same way as nature. Only in this way will you be able to train your ability to get excited.” You are about to reach the ski resort; you have memorized those photographs and you are smiling: “We adults too can rediscover the wonder in the world around us. We just need to slow down, observe carefully, open ourselves to beauty.”