Silk Scarf, 1975 after Friedensreich Hundertwasser, The Garden of The Happy Dead 170B © 2021 NAMIDA AG, Glarus/Switzerland
Journey
Columba’s mother, Eithne, had a dream. An angel gave her a beautiful cloak, covered in the colours of every flower. The cloak was taken from her, spreading out to cover the distant hills and forests. She awoke, knowing that it spoke of her unborn child – he would travel far from her but would have great influence and honour.
Columba was from a noble family but, at a young age, he set out on the path of learning and prayer to become a monk.
In the year 563CE, he set sail from the northern shores of Ireland with twelve companions. They had chosen to become “pilgrims for Christ” – leaving the security of their homeland and journeying by faith into the unknown. They rowed their curragh towards Scotland, risking currents, storms, sea monsters and a giant whirlpool. They believed their lives were in God’s hands. But what would the future hold?
Our world is full of travellers. Some look for safety and asylum; others seek learning, work, or new experiences. Some journeys take us far away; others happen within us. They can be joyful or challenging, unsettling or amazing.
Why do you travel? What is the story of your journey?