“A cloud does not know why it moves in just such a direction and at such a speed….It feels an impulse….this is the place to go now. But the sky knows the reasons and the patterns behind all clouds, and you will know, too, when you lift yourself high enough to see beyond.”
~Richard Bach
It’s been ages since I spent Christmas in Germany, and I have always dreamed of being here for the holidays. Although my favorite time of year, it was a time that made me homesick and sad while in the states. And now that I’m here things once again have turned out a lot different as imagined. We change and so do our life’s. We don’t stay the same, our experiences change, although our memories from times past may always stay the same. This Christmas is different as the ones I remember from my childhood. Mom is at a nursing home and we haven’t baked any cookies together. We haven’t gone sledding down the hill with our dog chasing after us. There haven’t been any cozy evenings of crafting straw stars and ornaments, while drinking spiced cider and Glühwein. Times have changed and what I held onto all these years were the memories of the past. We all have them, and not all are bad, some actually warm our hearts.
Life always has a few curveballs in store for us and things seldom go smooth. Perhaps sometimes it’s best not to imagine or expect anything at all. It might sound negative, but by nature I am an optimist, and still can’t help but wonder if the perfect scenarios even exist. Would we learn something if they did? More times then none we have to roll with the punches and our successes and challenges lie in learning to do it well. And to learn not to resist, I think is an additional asset that will assure success.
I am here for Christmas this year, and despite the pros and cons, it is nice to re-emerge into some of our German cultures. I am exited to visit the Christmas markets and catch the spirit admiring the lit up booths, lining up the old inner cities. Many handmade items will be on display and I’m sure that I won’t be able to resist a little souvenir. I am looking forward to taking some picture and watch people mingle.
The picture above showcases the lit up Christmas tree in my village and a little red ginger that has taken refuge under the tree.
There will be moments big and small in your life, some of which will leave you feeling pretty small in the great big theme of things. Some moments will be very painful that will change your entire world in a matter of minutes. These moments will change you. Let them make you stronger, smarter, and kinder. But don’t you go and become someone that you’re not. You are not a victim. When it hurts – observe. Life is trying to teach you something. Cry. Scream if you have to. Then you straighten out that crown and keep moving. The choice is yours to grow or to be defined by your experiences.
Picture of Angie on the pretty, giant bench.
Our soul always has a way of knowing and our soul purpose has been decided since ancient times.
Somewhere, deep in your memory, you know the ancient ways.
This is why you find yourself drawn by a deep seeded urge.
An urge so powerful that you don’t even question it, or fight it.
You long for it!!!
“Your sacred space is where you can find yourself over and over again.”
~Joseph Campbell
Mine happens to be in Mother Nature and in places like this. This picture was taken high above Mittenwald on top of the Karwendel mountain range.
A giant telescope is hanging over the cliff side to view The Valley below and other surrounding peaks. The clouds rolled in later that afternoon and added additional drama, swallowing up entire mountain peaks. The weather can change quickly in the mountains, always be prepared.
Just a little cuteness to start your day with this little rascal that stole some of my Chex mix.
I truly have missed seeing all the critters such as this one over the past 10 month while being here in Germany. Believe me, there are critters here too, but they are far not as cute as this little guy, and the ones here were stinging and biting me, leaving big, itchy and often painful marks that are still visible month later. Simply incredible and it won’t be a thing I will miss.
I won’t miss the humidity either, although even there was something good to be found, and I wasn’t in need of a moisturizer at all. My skin looked good without and had a natural glow. This will change when I return to my dry desert landscape. I have to say that allergies where at a minimum too, and where I needed daily eye drops multiple times throughout the day in the states, I haven’t used any at all here. It’s pretty incredible given that it was one of the worst years for allergies.
As with everything there is always good and bad, give and take, push and pull. The trick lies is picking the things that serve us best and incorporate them I to our daily lives as best as we can.
I lied and said I was busy.
I was busy; but not in a way most people understand.
I was busy taking deeper breaths.
I was busy silencing irrational thoughts.
I was busy calming a racing heart.
I was busy telling myself I am okay.
Sometimes, this is my busy, and I will not apologize for it.
B. Oakman / Anxiety doesn’t knock first
I’ve learned a lot this year.
I’ve learned that there are things that go wrong that don’t always get fixed or get put together the way they were before.
I’ve learned that some broken things stay broken, and I’ve learned that you can get through bad times and keep looking for better ones, as long as you have people who love you.
~Higher Perspective
Fresco painting with ornate Angel framing at St. Michael’s.
I chipped away at your cold exterior,
Dodging shards of ice until you were no longer hard,
But even though I cracked the surface,
Your heart would not melt.
~ Christy Ann Martin
