Dearest gentle readers,
As the last few months slipped by in their peculiar mix of swift and sluggish passage, I find myself marveling at the sheer unpredictability of life. Days have drifted along like a leaf in a breeze – sometimes rushing in a blur, at other times floating leisurely, yet somehow still carrying us onward. Isn’t it curious how so much can shift in so little time? People arriving and departing, challenges cropping up like unwelcome weeds, and new adaptations woven into the fabric of our routines. Change, it seems, is the only certainty, an inevitable tide we cannot resist.
In the midst of this ever-turning wheel of experience, a journey to Portugal awaited me, a land of golden shores and cobblestone streets, a place I had held in a warm corner of my heart. I confess, I expected to be utterly enchanted, to feel that familiar tug that would root me to its sun-dappled cliffs and winding alleys. Yet, dear readers, what I found was not an anchor but a revelation – a whisper from my heart, subtle yet unwavering: though I love Portugal, it is not the place for me.
A wise poet once penned, “The heart is an ever-changing sea, forever searching for a shore.” And so it is with me. This journey has stirred within me a longing not for a specific place, but for something I can call mine, a corner of the world that fits like a glove. Though my mind, ever the sensible advisor, insists that I find my center, my inner balance, in one place, my heart cannot be contained so easily. It seeks out what is yet unknown, urging me to chase the whispers of my soul rather than the voices of practicality. Perhaps that’s what life is – an endless search for the delicate balance between heart and mind.
Ah, but isn’t that the beauty of it all? Life has a curious way of giving us what we need, whether or not it matches what we thought we wanted. And though this unpredictability can be as unsettling as an unexpected storm, it is also wondrously beautiful. For, in truth, life would be quite dull if every chapter unfolded exactly as we had planned. Surprises, after all, are the spice of our stories, whether we welcome them or not.
Then there are the friendships, those remarkable, evolving connections that carry us through each twist and turn. Over the past months, I have seen bonds grow stronger, like fine wine growing richer with age, and friends revealing new shades of themselves. To witness such transformations is a privilege, a reminder that people are not static portraits but vibrant, ever-evolving mosaics. It is indeed “a marvel how souls can intertwine and bloom anew in the gardens of our lives,” as an old proverb so eloquently puts it.
So here I stand, dear readers, in love with life as it is – imperfect, surprising, and undeniably full. There is a certain thrill in embracing the unknown, in standing at the edge of what might come next with open arms and a heart ready to be dazzled. Whatever the future holds, I know it will be as unpredictable as the last few months, a ride I am more than willing to take.
Until then, I bid you all to savor each twist of fate, each unexpected turn. For life, as I’ve come to see, is not about finding perfect stillness, but learning to dance in the ever-changing currents.
Yours truly,
Maria Cosme
Maria is hosted by NaturKultur e.V. on our project co-funded by the European Union.
