Advent Season: Paths Instead of Walls

The Advent season was once more than a countdown. It was a space in the year, a time when the world slowed down a little and closeness found room again.

Traveling without fixed walls, I notice this difference even more clearly. When you are not tied to appointments, Christmas parties, and obligations, it becomes easier to see how full this season has become. How little space is often left—for closeness without plans, for shared presence, for what cannot be scheduled.

Advent used to feel cozy. Sitting together. Eating together. Conversations without hurry. Less distraction, more connection. As if every year we reminded ourselves: we are family. And we belong together.

I remember the joy of choosing gifts. Not quickly or functionally, but thoughtfully. Cooking for everyone, not perfect, but with care. Small gestures that mattered because they came from attention, not duty.

Today, the impression is different. Many say that gift shopping feels like a burden rather than joy. That Christmas parties feel more like obligations than moments of togetherness. The Advent season is filled and structured until the last day—and when Christmas is over, many are simply exhausted.

Traveling, with little space and few possessions, shifts the perspective. In the van, no grand framework is needed to feel the season. A candle on the table. Warm drinks. Conversations in the half-dark, while rain hits the windows outside. No glitter, no programs—and yet something arises that feels just right.

Paths instead of Walls also means during Advent: less outside, more inside. Fewer expectations, more presence. Not holding on to everything, not fulfilling everything—but leaving space. For closeness. For attention. For what connects us.

Perhaps this is exactly the invitation of the season. Not to do more, but to do less. Not for perfection, but for authenticity. Not for a place, but for an attitude.

In this spirit, I wish us all a calm, loving Advent season

and a Christmas that is not exhausting, but feels good—

no matter where we are.