Meeting the Source of Seine
Some reflections by Serap, June 11, 2018
We started riding our tandem bicycle from Lyon airport with the goal of finding the Source of Seine, and continuing our trip with the river all the way to the west to meet the ocean together with the river. So far, it has taken us some days of bicycling on flat ground and two days of ups and downs in the country side to make it to the source of the river.
All through the way, people warned us about the thunder and hail storms, or heavy rains that were approaching-which we did not get hit by any- but we continued to bicycle, not worrying about the weather. We rode along either with the sun or some clouds for about 340 kms. No rain! When we found the sign on the road pointing at the source of Seine, it felt somehow magical to be there. I was so looking forward to meeting the crystal clear water at its source. We arrived at the birth place of Seine at about 2 pm, with lots of sunshine and some clouds.
The source of Seine River was right there, in front of me, with water bubbling out from the ground. I just stood there with awe; it was water, source of life, coming all the way through the ground, bringing minerals, nutrition and ready to give life to many.
I had brought a jar with me to fill it up with water at the source of Seine. I filled up the jar and could not resist to drink it. Leaned down by the little creek coming out from the source and filled my palm with some water and drank it again. Such freedom it is to be able to drink water out of a creek, knowing that it is clean and good for our system. And what a pure taste that is! I was so touched by the preciousness of water that some tears rolled down on my cheeks. At that moment, a drop of rain fell on my face, then another, and another, mixing with my tears at the source of Seine. I felt the unity of my tears, the rain drops, the river and the water coming out of the ground. I again felt that water is all one, formed out of drops. It is in my tears, in the rain, in my body, in the rivers, under the ground. It is all water drops that join together in our ONE world.
We now have a jar filled with water from the source of Seine River, travelling with us along the river. I intend to see rivers in the world meeting ocean as clean as they are at their source. So, during this journey, we will carry this jar of water with us from the source of Seine to the ocean. At the end of our trip, the jar of water from the source of the river will meet the ocean, as clean and pure as it is at its source.
Meanwhile, we will see what will happen to the river during its journey on the way to the ocean.