April 23rd

5 days later spring is finally here. And my herbs are up and running! This is my first spring in this apartment. No balcony but at least some space for my greens.

April 18th

In this case the pictures will tell all about April 18th.

With an open heart

Once again I am wearing my heart so very close to the skin.

For every sadness it cries a river of tears,

for every happiness it is about to burst from joy.

It is clearly, too close to the world around me, too open.

But yet I will enjoy, while it lasts,

the feelings that are, in fact, too strong to survive,

the feeling of being overwhelmed by life,

seeing the true beauty to it.

I will be pushed over by storms and caressed by the sun.

With my heart wide open.

Soul-mates and people passing by

"Having the courage to take the steps we always wanted to take is the only way of showing we trust God.
As soon as we accept this, life takes on a sacred meaning, and we experience the same emotion the Virgin must have felt when, one afternoon in her otherwise very ordinary existance, a stranger appeared to her and made her an offer. 'Be it unto me according to thy word,' said the Virgin. Because she had understood that the greatest thing a human being can do is to accept the Mystery."

Brida by Paulo Coelho

These lines caught my eye today and they inspired my thoughts as I enjoyed my double espresso this morning. A beautiful thought. Taking the step into the unknown as a sign of trust. I adore that way of thinking.

Another thought that forced its way - yes, forced - into my mind this morning was one about soul-mates and people in our lives, passing through or staying. Two different kinds of important people. I believe soul-mates will always be drawn to each other. Their paths will cross time and time again, physical or emotional paths. They will be the kind of people we fall back to, in good times and bad. Those that will keep us standing when we're about to fall, those that will share our joy when we celebrate. Those are the kind of people that will leave a great feeling of loss, if separated from us.

Then there will be people who come into our lives baring a task. They are there to teach us something, to make us see beyond the obvious. After that, they will be free to go, to move on, without leaving a feeling of loss. For the first time in my life, half a year ago, I spotted that kind of person in my life. It was loud and clear, when it hit me. I learned a great deal about myself from that person, who did not know his task.

It is always a joy to pinpoint a remarkable thing in your life. Yet bigger is the joy to see oneself change and the things leading to it.