I’m in Scotland, for a short while. Not on any business of my own, without a purpose. I’m wandering around, just looking. And reminiscing a little. I’ve been here before. It was a completely different world then, at the end of August 2001, just before and during various turning points in different areas. I was there also for a short while, and also rather without a purpose, though in retrospect, I can see the deep purpose of that trip. I came here on a sailing yacht, crossing the North Sea with a couple of other punks. We had a somewhat pathetic but actually harmless sense of bravery and glory, and great cause or merit to mankind, although in fact all we did was play with expensive toys for our parents’ money. In any case, the trip put me off balance; it made me understand physically, physiologically even (I have difficulty understanding otherwise), that everything wobbles and turns, and all verticality is an illusion. And that it’s not about keeping upright, it’s about keeping the vector. Even though wind is blowing.

Holech el-darom, vesovev eltzafon; sovev sovev holech haruach, veal-sevivotav, shav haruach.

Twenty-one years ago I disembarked onto the Scottish land for a brief moment, on shaky legs, being further away from home than ever before. A new chapter was about to begin; a new life was about to happen. I could feel it very clearly, right there, just over the horizon. And so it is happening.

The circle is closing, the gates are opening, a wish is coming true.

(transl. Magdalena Małek-Andrzejowska)