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A message in a bottle, photo taken in my daily trips…

A sunny warm day at “home-kong” home. Meeting me fully after a whirlwind of a week. Greeting me gently with a very candid” I am not sure that I know what to do today”. A tad of restlessness. A tad of beginner’s mind. A tad of homey chores and nourishing food as such a staple for how I want to curate my very good Sunday. A tad or reads, new explorations, new music.

I almost did not know where to start on this blank page here today. I felt that I would have so much to share, yet, the dust was not that settled yet and whatever I have been processing from this recent week was simply not ready. A bit of duality here and there that made me revalue bits of my enthusiasm in a way. Revaluing the need to share with enthusiasm something quite raw - I concluded that it just had to wait.

The prompt came from the very photo above and probably the closer we get to the spirit of winter holidays, the closer I connect and I reinforce my daily anchors. I have pondered even for few minutes the word glimmers, that is almost everywhere now, yet I have decided that what I want to bring to light today is pure anchors that make my day.

These anchors start somewhere and they might have their own life completely perhaps unrelated to me unless I offer them an entry way into my own space.

One of my connectors that I bring here often are the taxis. The ones that transport me from one place to another. The messengers who give me a glimpse into what might go right or might go awry during the day. The ones who signal something I need to pay attention to. It is a fascinating medium that grew on me quite a bit. The more I pay attention to, the more I listen to their messages, the stronger this anchor becomes in my daily routine.

I chose this plate today because I connected to a big universal YES. The plate numbers might not always work, different countries have different ways of using letters and numbers. I would say even that I am not so focused on the plate at times, even if I did glimpse and make a mental note. At times there are so many other things that get my attention. The carpet, the windows, the cleanliness, the messiness ,the way they speak, the way they drive, the music that is being played, the way they talk on the phone, there are so many ways to open my channels and listen to that mini reflection of a parallel universe. I guess my favourites are the good natured, the ones who can laugh heartily and make sure I arrive well. So, I guess I will nominate as the winner of the week the driver I got one day leaving quite late and so afraid I would be able to catch the ferry in time. I remember vividly -the car just showed up in front of me while I was trying to open the app to call one. The only word I could mumble after the destination was :”Faster?” With a very shy voice as I was not even sure he understood well english. I usually do not ask anyone to speed up. That evening, the answer I got was “ you need to catch a ferry? Ok, faster it is. No worry -at this hour, no traffic! The tunnel is clear”.

I literally locked eyes with him in the rear mirror and simply said “Thanks so much.”It felt a bit surreal and big and all magic.

From my disbelief that he even could understand me to full trust in a matter of a minute. I left all my worries behind me and I knew that he will make it. This did not involve a very speedy ride, but it involved a very good driver. He just knew when to accelerate, whom to pass by, where to turn to make it the shortest drive to this destination without my interference at all or guidance or when to stop the brakes smoothly. I made it just in time in its classic meaning - a minute before the ferry departure. I raise my metaphorical hat to him.

Books on the plane.

Books and their timing. On the plane and around the world.

Books when we call for one. Around the world.

Such a favourite anchor of all times. Such powerful messengers. I would have so many examples. That I could connect with a precise ongoing event or a happenstance.

We might both call them anchors and synchronicities. Somehow they live and they are kind of equal partners. They make me listen.

I would bring in two examples one of a past time almost. One of the more recent history, from my last trip in October.

As it happens they are both beautifully intertwined with music.

I have always loved Jewel. I am almost sure I have discovered her songs when I mostly needed. It is the same magic connection that send us lyrics and voices to soothe us and lift us.

I have read her book during a very uncertain time to say the least. On a holiday back home. The blend of her story with the blend of the events in my own story made me just become even more so in awe. Her resilience lifted my spirit and it has been a solid anchor for me long years after too. I love to go back and listen to her from time to time too. One of the things that stayed even to this day with me was the practice of walking meditation. Everything resonated and here I was just diving in. Feeling the sole of my feet on the ground, taking time to understand the motion, doing a body scan and connecting with my body while walking. I did not have to research any further back then.I have just felt that this is the right anchor I needed then and forever and I kept going back to this practice with attention.

I also remember that during any free moment I had at home, I could not wait to go back and read a bit more. While listening to her music on repeat. All that tears have helped me release something in advance before it was happening. Almost like a sort of mystic rehearsal of something from the future. I came to this conclusion only now. How powerful my connection with her book and music has helped me then. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Truly yours in an unknown sisterhood.

Never broken, Songs are only half the story

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And to say also few words of the same nature, the most recent connection from my latest travels would be an audible book, a stunning raw memoir by Lisa-Marie Presley and her daughter Riley Keough.

From Here to the Great Unknown

I have listened to it on my way back home after a longer travel. Pretty much in between planes and airports. In a fascinating way it has brought me back to my love for Elvis. I loved watching and rewatching some of the black and white movies, on the small screen portable TV I would take at my grandmother’s on summer holidays. I would have loved to dance like all of them on that screen, yet, I could never master that twists. I have read later on a book about his tragic story and I think I am marked even today. Riley’s enormous sensibility and also grounding support for her family has transpired throughout the recording. It is an intimate and courageous act to shed so much light on so many events. Some of them of the past, some of the most recent past.

The love coming through being of equal power. I have been moved in so many ways by their vulnerability and fragility of being famous. By all that hard work to maintain humanity and truth. And yet, be in the public eye at all time.

I have connected to both of their stories too as they carried a similar connection on receiving messages. Through thin air at times. Through paying attention at changes. At new ways of things.I loved how much she has appreciated that her mother was the ones who knew. She knew things ahead of time. Ahead of happening. She loved kids and babies and she probably she saw them as pure miracles to say the least.

I would not like to offer further quotes or examples of what has deeply moved me here. The best way would be for anyone interested further to check the books and dive into them, at their own time.

I loved Riley’s voice on Audible and to be totally frank, I am following her recently as I got really impressed with her from the movie “Daisy Jones and The Six”.

Full disclosure too, I had no idea she was related to Elvis in any way. I just loved her performance and sensibility and her voice! All this new life brought to the music created specially for that remarkable book.

It has felt only right for me to pick up on the new release featuring her and deep dive right away in this powerful memoir.

I would say, the anchors I find at times, are deep connections. Outside of time.Outside of location. Outside of one’s place of birth, or place of living.

Grateful to all of them.

Captioned by my friend Laura this morning… An invitation to be a beautiful human. And we all said yes.

There is nothing I love more than a spontaneous get together. It usually starts with a spark, like someone saying…oh I might visit you. Then it goes into, let’s see who else would like to come to the island, then we go through no’s and yes’ s or some no might turn into a yes and viceversa. We mainly put together some ideas for the menu on a whim and while everyone was purchasing turkey and cranberries at the market, I was somehow taken aback by an older memory of the famous “kumpir” I tried first time in Istanbul a century ago. Baked potatoes it was. With all sorts of side dishes, all pretty much vegetarian evening as some of us we are changing lifestyles again! And nutrition paths…and paths even more so. The improvisation and the richness of the evening, the level of freshness or tiredness we all brought to the table or to the sofa it led into this wonderful evening. The richness came from our very intention, to be here for each other, and spend a relaxed Saturday night in good company. In a good commitment to our friendship bond that does not require at all dependency, weekly sessions. It requires though to let oneself move with the wave of that very Saturday and make room for togetherness. Make room for a fine connection. Make room for be yourself just as you wish. I admit, I did not say yes to washing the dishes and also eternal grateful to the one who picked that challenge too. I know you smile by now.

It is perhaps thanksgiving weekend in other continents.A celebration I have always loved and made it my own or years now. A prompt for me here to be so so thankful for the bonds we make and those who show up at my door with hearts on a their sleeve. Some of these bonds might be crying and barking with joy, as Mara does, our favourite furry friend on the island here. Once she enters my home she magically turns all the carpets upside down as she performs this little recognition run in the living room. Mara too holds strongly on her ritual. She nows owns a fluffy carpet. She stares too long at the dog food drawer, although yesterday it was a curfew. She moved on to the toys easily though. Let the squeaky sheep game begin.or the third eye massage. Or the belly rubs. We got plenty of those in store.

It might sound cliche or it might sound so unnatural for some today to feel so moved by a thanksgiving ritual. It can bring so much sadness and loneliness around too. And I know that too for living through all of it at times. I deeply listen and I am moved by these feelings too. Pretty hard to just shrug them off just as we wish too.

My take on it today as in now, is going back to my best friend hope as usual. And enhancing even more so this practice of being deeply moved by the ordinary. No special effects although the convex mirror above was just the perfect special effect for three friends having a casual breakfast together. Sun bathing and loving village dogs around us. Isn’t it in itself a great metaphor, both a widening perspective and a focused take on our friendship itself? I just got deeply moved by it once again. Just starring into this little gem of a photo.

Moving on….other elements of awe this week. Hoping that you might enjoy them too.

A podcast I have discovered only few months ago, called “Where shall we meet?” Hosted by Natascha McElhone and Omid Ashtari. The variety of topics selected expand my horizons every single week now and their last episode with David Whyte, the philosopher poet took me beautiful places and made me more connected to the universe and the mystery of life as ever.

I am deeply moved how Natascha, Omid, David and myself feel that we belong together. I should have better word it out in reverse order as for sure they have no idea who I am. I simple remain deeply moved by this no matter the order. A chord has been deeply touched in me. I have read poems by David Whyte before. I love to listen to him reading his own poems. And this episode inspired me so deeply and moved some inner wheels inside my hear that are very hard to describe. Here is a path for me to deepen. Is not anymore just another aha moment, it is now a pursuit. To explore deeper what he has to say. And what he had discovered thought magnificent synchronicities too. What has been uncovered for him to see.Like the very importance of the horizons in our life. You can also find David on this very platform.

“Horizons between the known and the unknown are everywhere in our human lives, even when we refuse to lift our heads and our eyes to see them”.

As a matter of fact ,I am just pressing “listen again “to the episode of the podcast again. The soothing voice of Natascha McElhone and David deep voice taking us almost into depths of self discovery are a magical backdrop on such a sunny Sunday.

Side brief chat and big smile with mum meanwhile, at the virtual coffee break.

“I do not know how it happens, the news channel now are all on something called “tip-top” ?

“Tik-tok” mum - and trying to find an analogy for her I say, you know,” like the clocks” ?

“Yes, maybe”.She ponders for a nano second. “If is the clocks, it should then “Tik-Tak” Tik-Tak” - anyway, overrated!

I almost coughed up the coffee before I started a bit LOL…. As I remain eternally deeply moved by my mum’s sharpness.

Namaste friends and I hope really hope that in a tiny way I contributed to your Sunday ritual too.