“Not all those who wander are lost”
JRR Tolkien
Today a story as a reminder to consciously look for new perspectives, literally and figuratively. All too often we get stuck in what we know, what we are familiar with. In our businesses, we do the same, we also recruit and choose to work with those who fit our familiar and comfortable choices. What is lost if we only go with what we know instead of allowing ourselves to wander, to discover new things, new ideas, new people?
So, one day last week I took a day to wander London, to get consciously lost to see what would be discovered when one chooses a path of “not knowing”. With my “companion in wandering”, our plan was simply to “go for a walk”, to have no plan, to simply “get lost”, walking as we went from one idea and one place to the next.
It was a gloriously mild winter’s day, sunny and bright and around 8c, so perfect for walking and wandering.
The first idea was to meander down to Brixton for a light lunch, knowing it to be an area with a huge and wild variety of cuisines and eating spots in a small area. Our lunch turned out to be amazing gyoza and green tea from a tiny food stall that, for good reason, had a large queue outside.
From there, the next idea was to go to Dulwich, neither of us knowing that area other than that it has a lovely high street full of cafes, so, figuring hot chocolate would be in order by mid-afternoon, we continued, using our smartphones for some directions but also veering down side streets and finding lovely little discoveries, such as a street of tiny pastel cottages and then a glorious piece of block architecture far more adventurous and striking than any other housing estate I’d seen.
As we then wandered from Brixton to Dulwich, discovery after discovery awaited us, from lovely urban parks to architectural gems to city views. We then walked down Dulwich High Street and at random into a cafe for hot chocolate and cake, only to bump into someone I knew (from Brixton, as it turned out!).
Sipping our hot chocolate, we pondered on where to go next. Crystal Palace was the next call. Having already walked a lot, we cut across to a train station and hopped a few stops up the hill, finding ourselves a little early for cocktail hour, so we then found an astonishing four-storey antique emporium to explore until they closed at 6 pm. After that it was a cocktail bar then a countertop meal at a Vietnamese cafe.
As we then wrapped up our day of walking and getting lost, what did I glimpse down a side street in Crystal Palace but a most exquisite view over to the City of London.
I had to stop and take a photo. What a discovery, and what a reminder that wandering can mean you find new treasures.
“Not all those who wander are lost”
