Trusting Life: How Travel Taught Me to Believe in Something Greater

Why I Started Trusting Life

I’m not particularly religious – at least not in the traditional sense. I don’t go to church, don’t pray regularly, and don’t follow any religious doctrine. But since I gave up everything, life has practically forced me to believe in something greater. Maybe I just call it “life itself.”

Sometimes I feel like many people try to stand above their lives, to control them. Security gives us a sense of stability. But what happens when you consciously choose the opposite? A life without a fixed home, without a plan, simply trusting the moment?

Note: I’m not an experienced long-distance hiker, not a lifelong adventurer – I learned a profession, started a family, and I’m no longer the youngest. My starting point was the same as for many: a life that promised security – until I realized that true security sometimes lies in embracing the unknown.

In this article, I share my deepest thoughts and most formative experiences that taught me life often has a plan – even when we don’t always understand it.

The Decision to Give Up Everything: Why I Felt Like an Alien

When I decided to give up my apartment and live as a nomad, people thought I was crazy. And honestly – so did I.

“Are you sure?”, my landlady asked.
Inside I screamed: “Oh my God, NO!”
But I answered: “Yes, I’m sure.”

It was a lie. I was terrified. But something in me knew: I had to do this.

Nomad Life ≠ Freedom (At Least Not How You Think)

Many romanticize the nomadic lifestyle. “You’re so free!”, I often hear. But the truth is:

– Freedom doesn’t mean having no responsibilities.
– Freedom means facing consequences.

I slept in hostels, tents, bus stations, overnight buses – sometimes even in accommodations worse than the street. I traveled on foot, hitchhiking, by bus and (rarely) even by plane.

But one thing became clear to me:
“Our thoughts and attitudes determine our lives. Nothing else.”

Georgia: Where Life Showed Me It Would Provide

1. Ushguli → Lenteki: The Unplanned Ride

In Ushguli, Europe’s highest inhabited village, it got cold. My sleeping bag wasn’t warm enough anymore, and I had to move on. Google Maps showed a way to Lenteki, but:

– No buses
– Bad roads (though being rebuilt)
– Extreme fear of heights
– No money for a taxi

I was ready to turn back – when a taxi driver said to me:
“Why don’t you hitchhike?”

Suddenly I stood by the roadside, waving down a car – something I never thought possible.

The ride was magical. The driver stopped at a viewpoint – the Georgian mountains breathtaking. Arriving in Lenteki, he warned me:
“There’s nothing here. Should I take you further?”

I declined – internally doubting. But then:
– I found a room with a doctor’s family.
– No online listing, just there.

2. Lenteki → Tsageri: The Well in Nowhere

I wanted to walk 20 km to Tsageri – no bus, no hitchhiking. But:
– Halfway, my water was almost gone.
– No houses, no drinking water in sight.

Then, out of nowhere: A well.
None before, none after – right where I needed it.

3. Tsageri → Kutaisi: The Incredible Encounter With the Russian Couple

Arriving in Tsageri, I quickly realized:
– No affordable accommodations.
– The town stretched endlessly – where could I pitch my tent?

Exhausted, I sat in a small snack bar drinking a Coke. Suddenly a Russian couple sat next to me – and the woman unexpectedly asked:
“Do you need a ride?”

I was stunned. I was just sitting there – no backpack in sight, no indication I wanted to travel. Why would she ask me?

I politely declined – out of politeness, out of uncertainty. But later, completely exhausted, standing by the roadside trying unsuccessfully to hitchhike, I suddenly heard a voice behind me:

“Are you really sure you don’t want to come with us?”

It was the same woman.

A Journey That Couldn’t Be Coincidence

– 90 kilometers lay between Tsageri and Kutaisi.
– They could have just driven past – instead they stopped specially.
– They didn’t just take me, but spontaneously invited me to a breathtaking waterfall.

We spent a wonderful afternoon together – as if we’d known each other forever. When we finally arrived in Kutaisi, it turned out:
My accommodation was just 200 meters from their home.

Later I asked the woman:
“Why did you even ask me? I gave no sign I needed help.”

She smiled:
“I just had this feeling I had to ask you.”

What These Experiences Reveal About All of Us

These stories from Georgia are just a small part – but they fundamentally changed me. I began to understand: Life carries us when we let ourselves be carried.

Some call it God, others fate, others simply “the universe.” I have no name for it. But I feel it:

“There are moments when things align that can’t be pure coincidence.”

For the Believers Among You:

If you believe in a higher power – perhaps you recognize in my experiences exactly that: A guiding hand. Maybe it was God’s way of protecting me. Maybe angels in the form of strangers.

For the Skeptics:

You don’t need to believe in the supernatural to see: Sometimes doors open exactly when we need them most. Whether you call it coincidence or not – it remains magical.

The real question isn't "Is there something greater?" but: 
"Can I learn to let myself fall - even when I can't see the ground?" 

Because one thing is certain:
All big changes in my life began exactly when I gave up control.

What You Can Take From This

1. Fear is normal – but it doesn’t have to stop you
I had sleepless nights full of doubt. But afterwards I was always proud that I did it anyway.

2. Help often comes from where we least expect it
The Russian couple, the well in nowhere – rescue never came how I’d planned it.

3. You’re never truly alone
Even in the loneliest moments: Life has a way of surprising you.

Now it’s your turn:
– When was the last time you did something that felt completely crazy – and it turned out well?
– Is there a moment in your life that felt like “more than coincidence”?

Whether religious or not – we all know these moments of wonder. They remind us: Life is bigger than our plans.