Madrid, Between Spaces
I normally write from my computer, with time and space to reflect. Today, I am writing from Madrid, in between destinations, with a suitcase not far away and a mind that feels unexpectedly full.
The past week has been emotional in all the right ways.
I have formed close friendships. I have met generous, thoughtful people. I celebrated the holiday season first in Brazil, then in Spain, and I will soon be arriving in yet another place to mark Christmas. There has been movement, transition, and more than a little vulnerability, but also a deep sense of gratitude.
This time, I explored the Iberian Peninsula without losing my phone. That alone feels like progress.
Like Lisbon before it, Madrid has exceeded my expectations.
I did not come with a checklist. I walked, a lot. I wandered neighborhoods, lingered in cafés, and stood quietly in places with centuries of stories beneath my feet. I found myself in conversations with strangers that did not feel rushed or transactional. There is something about Madrid that invites you to slow down, to be present, to sit with your thoughts rather than outrun them.
What struck me most was the ease of the city. It rewards curiosity. That feels familiar to me right now.
I have written before about taking leaps, about saying yes when it would be easier to stay comfortable and predictable. I know that message can sound trite if it is not lived. But I keep returning to it because it continues to prove true.
Taking that uncomfortable leap, the one that makes you question your timing, your certainty, even your courage, has led me to experiences I never believed I would have. Not all of them are easy. Some come with loneliness, doubt, and quiet moments of reckoning. But many come with connection, perspective, and an expanding sense of what is possible.
Madrid reminded me of that.
You do not need to have everything figured out to move forward. You just need to be willing to step into the unknown long enough to let it teach you something.
I am sharing a few photos from Madrid alongside this reflection. They capture streets, light, and moments, but not the full story. That part stays with me.
Onward, and onward again.

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