Inspiration and Wisdom: The Journey of Luis Betancur Puerta

On a sunny terrace in Santa Monica, Luis Betancur Puerta shares that the inspiration to travel the world was like a lightning bolt for him. Dressed in a white long-sleeved shirt, dark blue vest embroidered with the messages “University of the Roads” in the front and “Love is not loved” in the back, and matching pants, Luis recalls the night when the idea struck him as the only one in his ninety-one years of life that left him sleepless. “I was 25 years old, picking coffee on a farm in Jericó when the idea of traveling the world and collecting thoughts came to me,” he says, while arranging one of the many objects he brought back from his pilgrimage. Postcards, slides, letters, accessories, souvenirs from a lifetime on the road are all here. However, for Luis, the most important items are the notebooks. And they are important because that’s where the thoughts are written.

During his journey through America and Europe, Luis visited lost villages and illustrious cities to ask the inhabitants to write down their thoughts. In the more than fifty notebooks he compiled during over twenty years of travel, there are phrases about sexuality, life, religion, wisdom, power, pleasure, and silence. The annotations were made by Catholic bishops, peasants, teachers, women, tavern keepers, carriage drivers, and journalists.

When asked about his sustenance during the journey, Luis mentions that most of the time, people received him with great generosity. In many places, he relied on the generosity of the Catholic priests in each town he visited. This is not surprising as Luis has the manners, language, and lexicon of the clergy. Even when asked about his decision not to marry or have children, he responds with a quote from the Gospel: “My family is humanity.”

With a mischievous smile, Luis then fires off a series of questions: “Do you think if I had gotten married, I could have traveled as I did? If I had children, could I have dedicated myself to these thoughts? Do you believe that?” We fall silent, and a smile appears on his face as he observes our reaction.

At one point, he asks one of his assistants to bring down a dusty traveler’s briefcase from a shelf. He opens it, takes out the letters he exchanged with his parents and siblings during his time abroad. Deciphering the handwriting is not easy, except for the dates and locations. There are envelopes marked with addresses from Brussels, Milan, Paris, and Texas. Luis looks at the stamps and mentions that some collectors have offered him money for them. However, he emphasizes that the essence of his journey lies in the thoughts. “There lies the wisdom of humanity,” he says, convinced that he has dedicated his life to something important.

Now, Luis spends part of his daily routine visiting billboards where he displays the fruits of his thought collection. Placed in different parts of the city, the billboards feature a photocopy of the article Reinaldo Spitaletta wrote about Luis for EL COLOMBIANO in the mid-nineties and an anthology of thoughts. These handmade publications are called the “University of the Roads” by Luis and are crafted by him and people who assist him in this endeavor. Most of the thoughts on the billboards are accompanied by rustic drawings.

Towards the end of the interview, Luis mentions that several news outlets seek him out for interviews. He seizes every opportunity to showcase his work, hence the various vests like the one mentioned at the beginning of the article. “Do you know what the most beautiful thought I found is? This one,” he points to his back. “Love is not loved refers to God. This thought is the most beautiful of all,” he emphasizes while shaking hands with the visitors.

Luis Betancur Puerta’s journey to collect thoughts from people around the world is a testament to the power of human connection and the wisdom that can be gained from listening to others. His dedication to this unique mission serves as an inspiration for all of us to seek out the thoughts and experiences of those around us, for in them lies the true richness of humanity.