The road to Teshima was long and difficult, and I say road figuratively, as I did not drive there. I took I think 5 trains, and a ferry to arrive on this island in the rain where there were no English signs and literally not one person got off on the stop that I did. I began to question myself. Who do I think I am going to this island that most people have never heard of, speaking no Japanese and having less than stellar navigational ability without the help of google maps. There was no service there either, obviously. I walked toward a sign hoping it would give me a clue. Luckily a couple was walking toward me. I waited and then asked if they knew were the Teshima Art Museum was. It was a 20 minute walk down the road and up the hill, they said. So I started walking and reached the corner, when this old Japanese lady pulled up next to me in her car and offered to give me a ride. It was the sweetest thing that happened to me in Japan.

The museum itself consisted of one exhibit. It was set in a simple and serene environment. You walk there on a path that goes through a grassy hill and a more forested area. When you get to the exhibit, you must take your shoes off before you enter and no pictures were allowed inside. It’s a concrete building called “Outer Space” with two big holes in the ceiling where you an see the sky. On the floor there are two puddles and the way the floor is shaped causes drops to form together and eventually they all end up in the puddles. It sounds so simple, yet the way the drops of water magnetically find each other, and all end up together is hypnotizing. It reminded me very much of heaven and individuals joining together in energy to be part of God, which is what I imagine happens when we die. A verbal description doesn’t do justice to the beauty and meditative environment that this exhibit created. I sat there looking at it for about 45 minutes. After the mental and emotional turmoil that I was experiencing in the days prior, it was a perfect remedy. I think it was one of the best days in Japan for me because I actually truly felt at peace. The greatest rewards always come after periods of chaos and despair, which is one reason I’ve never been afraid of chaos and despair.

The cafe was great and was one of the only palaces in Japan that offered gluten free pastries. I order two mini donuts and some kind of a rice dish that I don’t really remember. As I walked back to the ferry, I felt reassured at my own resolution in life. I thought about my trip as a whole, how I saved 75% of my income for 8 months, and I did it with no experience stepping foot outside my own country. I thought about my career and how many awful jobs I took before finding and settling for a job that I loved and a boss that is one of my favorite people. I thought about this little trip to Teshima and how the 5 trains, ferry, rain, and high probability of getting lost didn’t stop me from finding the destination I had set my heart on. And I began to see myself and remember that my stubbornness and deep knowledge of my own heart and knowing who I am would carry me through anything.

On the way back there were stray cats that I fed the last bit of gluten free bread that I had brought with me from America. They scurried away as soon as I dished out the goods. The spiders on this island were extraordinary. I took photos and sang as a walked down the hill. I felt calm seeing other people waiting for the ferry to come.