Pieces of Peace (Found in Indonesia)

In a previous blog post, I mentioned I was about to travel—and I did.
I just got back a couple of days ago from Indonesia.

At first, I thought of making a full travel blog out of it. But truthfully, I had no idea how. Then I realized… maybe I want to keep this journey to myself for now.
Sorry, folks—maybe next time I’ll share more details.

Still, I want to share something.

While I was traveling through Indonesia, I observed things that made me stop and think about my own life. As I walked through the streets—especially in small alleyways, away from the tourist trails—I saw people who had far less than I do, at least in terms of material wealth. But they didn’t look unhappy.

They smiled.
They talked to each other.
They sat on porches watching life go by.
They watched something on their phones.
They noticed me—some random stranger walking through their neighborhood—and probably wondered, “What on earth is he doing here?”

And yet, they were kind.
The kids I interacted with were full of joy.
There was no sign of homelessness, at least not like I’ve seen elsewhere. Sure, by Western standards, it looked “poor,” but it didn’t feel poor. It felt… simple. Honest. Present.

It made me realize something.
In the quiet of the night, lying in bed with the hum of a fan or the buzz of scooters outside, I started thinking—
Maybe I need to stop chasing so much.
Maybe I need to practice being happy with what is.
With what I already have.

There was a lot to learn from the people of Indonesia.
Something inside me feels like it’s shifting. Slowly, but surely.
There’s more peace coming my way. And I wonder… where will this path lead if I just keep walking?

My journey started in Jakarta and ended in Kuta, Bali. I’ve seen how different parts of the same country can feel like separate worlds. And that made me think—maybe it’s the same in Belgium too. Cultural differences might be right in front of me, even at home. I’ve just never paid close enough attention.

I also took some photos—portraits of Indonesia. I think I got a few good shots. I’ll be sharing those here soon.

Anyway, this is a smaller blog today.

But if there’s one thing I want to leave you with, it’s this:

Take your time.
Slow down.
Breathe.

Life moves fast, and it’s easy to get caught in the stress of it all. But peace is always trying to return to us, if we let it.

I had to travel across the world to learn that.
But deep down, I think I’ve always felt it.
That my soul is scattered across the world,
And traveling is just my way of finding the pieces.

Taken by me in Pangandaran