Hello friends, today I’m taking you to the Vanuatu archipelago, in the heart of the South Pacific, to tell you a story about the delicate balance between the desire to leave and the fear of leaving everything behind .
After several sleepless nights, a young man feels a deep need to leave his island and explore new horizons. He asks his grandfather to help him build the canoe that will allow him to leave.
Watching his grandfather slowly carve the canoe from the trunk of a large tree, the young man begins to doubt his decision: Leave? Really? Leave his island, his family, his friends? What if he gets lost? What if the sea is rough? What if he simply isn’t ready? He is afraid.
Understanding his grandson’s torment, the grandfather stops for a moment, puts down his tools and, without looking at him, says gently:
“You know, the tree and the canoe are one. The tree is rooted. It represents memory, family, traditions. It gives you strength and stability.”
The canoe goes far. It follows the wind, it seeks what it does not yet know. It is the dream, the risk, the movement.
But one does not exist without the other. Without the tree, there is no canoe. And without the canoe, the tree never discovers what it could have become.
The boy looks up. He has just understood that leaving does not mean denying one’s roots. It is not a matter of choosing between the tree and the canoe, but of building the canoe with the tree.
So, the next time you’re torn between staying in your comfort zone, on your island, and answering the call of the open sea, remember: moving forward isn’t about running away from your roots—it’s about giving them new meaning, somewhere else.
I’ll see you very soon with new inspiring stories from around the world.
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https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphael-renaux-37b5551/
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June 2025. Podcast produced by Francaisdanslemonde.fr : Radios & podcasts for French speakers preparing for or experiencing international mobility . Free mobile app available for Android & Apple, search FRANCAIS DANS LE MONDE .
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