A Haiku celebrating gifts

Catching the beauty of this book in the morning sun @maggiehongkong

A week of many gifts. Many came nicely packed. Some came packed by Amazon(eco maybe and far from fun), some came with a gentle touch, some came with a pat on a shoulder, and some came, more than even expected with music, dancing, spectacles for the soul who yearns aliveness. For the soul who also sees that aliveness is closer than ever. Can do!

On a Monday. Raise up and prepare. Mid-way before you get on a ferry, your shoe sole falls off entirely. This is a point of no-return. Chin up. And keep walking with a sole in your bag.

Finding your point of destination someone comes to the rescue and hands over a pair of shoes. A pair of mismatched twins. Black and white. Trend on point. Comfort on point. Through an entire twist of fate, they were matching my black and white outfit overall. Grateful in that very moment, with a pinch of belly laughter too, that my walking has returned to a balancing act.

Couple of hours later, some thunderbolt stroke through the same point of destination. Shock was taking over. Eyebrows were raised. Whispers preceded any conversation. Lullabies were sung to trembling souls, worrying souls ”everything will be ok”.

Keep walking. Now with a hole in the map you knew beforehand.

On a Tuesday. Raise bright an shine. A day of rebirth. Celebrating in fullness my birthday. As a side note and confessional, you perhaps too have been struggling to feel great on birthdays. A mission of passing an invisible threshold has been looming for days prior to that. Something near to a balance sheet. Where does one stand, where does one miss on things, where does one feel alive, where does one meets his kid’s soul. And here it is, on this very cold day, you take a decision that nothing matters no more, no balancing act required, it is a bright new day and you breathe in fully with much contentment. You are grateful, just as is, and you keep walking.

Phones keep ringing, messages keep pouring. Surprises keep unfolding. Nothing you have dreamt of in particular beforehand, and yet it is all here. Laugh your belly out some more. Inhale deeply.Exhale deeply.

On a Wednesday. A slower pace. You take coffee with an old friend, enjoying the paths you have been ever since you met first time in the same city. Sharing is caring once more revealed to the fullness. This friend as many others in fact, have a knack for sending you messages at the most unexpected times, times when you really need for a hand to reach out. Pure magic. Keep walking the paths still unfolding ahead of you dear friend. You also know that the evening magic looms over the day, with one concert in store and time spent with art. This is how artful hope looks like. Aliveness is here. Aliveness can do . You too.

On a Thursday, you decide to keep it low profile. No commute. Some isolation and rest is now necessary while focusing on a task at a time. Keep creating the kid in you says. Is there a empty space perhaps you did not know how to approach it. Keep creating. Turn all the boxes upside down and rearrange the elements. Brainstorm, research, find the magic thread and see the emerging trend. It is all there. Then perhaps you breathe in some more, deeply from your belly. Laughter did not come by easily today. At least at noon. Evening though, when you again expect the least, a conversation with unknown and new people to you, brings in synchronicities, brings in laughter and brings in joy. Keep walking. You are doing great ! ( although at that time in the evening, would be more of how about a restorative sleep).

Smiling in style is everything @maggiehongkong

On a Friday. 21.03. By then. The orange lillies in the neighbour’s courtyard are now in bloom from the early buds on the Monday. I say hello while I open the door to leave home. En route to the point of destination you meet you familiar faces that early in the morning. Their laughter somehow strikes you as too loud. Laughter is good though and you chime in yourself at a new decibel level. An interesting brief encounter early in the morning chimes you in even more. It seems to be more along an alarm clock. Time to wake up. Hit a reset button. You are doing just fine. Maybe do not hug, tears might follow. Deep listening. Taking in. You know this feeling all too well. The intensity is not in any of the reactions. The intensity lives in the amount of silly details you can register on that day at that very moment. Keep walking. Lullabies to yourself this time. “All is ok”.

Another point of destination, planned some time earlier , continues on the mysterious trail of events. But first, following a google map you also try to find a Kodak shop to take a very specific format of a photo. The at a nearby local store sends you to the FujiFilm shop and explains: Kodak before, FujiFilm now. Same same. Inside same. The space inside is limited, many boxes and equipment. The photographer is a lady. She gently rearranges your hair, oh, the ears must be visible too. Oh the frindge, a bit naughty, let tuck this one also back. Now, here we go.Now is good she says gently and very kind and very very calm.

Next stop, the door you have been looking for. You stop and read. 2103A. On 21.03.

“ What do you do here by the way? “ “Oh, something important. I apply for a new identity card. The old one expired on 18.03. “

Tell me if that was not a week on signs and signals and synchronicities. It has been.

There is much more there is much more of all these snippets put together.

Coming back home, on a very bright and hot now day, in the middle of the afternoon, you take a moment and enjoy some music and a good coffee. Lullaby for your heart. All is OK.

You see the box from Amazon, left un open the week. You get excited and here it is:

“The Power of Women” is here. Mihaela Noroc’s work is mesmerising and truly inspiring. A Romanian creator and traveller around the globe to get to the essence of all the most insightful portraits of women all around this planet.

The back of the books says:

The Power of Women: An Atlas of Beauty Book includes five hundred stunning photographs from over sixty different countries across the world, enhanced by a selection of personal stories and profound lessens learnt that are sure to encourage and inspire. More than just a collection of photos and stories ,The Power of Women is a transformative journey for all those in search of their own power within.

One says no more. A long haiku. Thank you. Grateful for all love there is. Within you.Within me.