joyful gratitude

Repair in the time of planned obsolescence

/ cultivatingjoy / Leave a comment

IMG_5328
JOYFUL GRATITUDE #70

While I was in Brighton my camera stopped working.  I’ve grown attached to this camera as I’ve learnt to use it better over the last 6 years and it has travelled with me on adventures near and far.  In this age of planned obsolescence, I was worried I’d have to invest in a new one, when ideally I want to keep it for as long as possible, until it really can’t be fixed.

Thanks to Paolo, I discovered there is a shop 5 minutes from our place that repairs cameras.  They were professional and instead of encouraging me to spend money on a new camera body, they took my request for repair seriously and fixed it for me at a really good price. I am really grateful to have my dear camera back and hopefully it will accompany me on my neighbourhood walks and my travels afar for many more years:)

Healing walks on the beach

/ cultivatingjoy / 2 Comments

20180304_174419

JOYFUL GRATITUDE #69

In Brighton, we enjoyed long walks along the beach, each step keeping us firmly in the present with the crunch of the pebbles, the cold sea wind on our cheeks, the waves crashing over and over again on the shore… We looked for pretty stones  until our pockets bulged with their imperfect shapes and their fascinating greys, oranges and blues. After a cloudy day, the sun came out, illuminating the abandoned pier with its last rays. It was good to be reminded how deeply healing being by the beach, no matter the season.

20180304_173336

On my way to Brighton

/ cultivatingjoy / Leave a comment

IMG_7209

JOYFUL GRATITUDE #68

Long weekends are the best! Heading off to Brighton with my dear friend Eva, a few days to breathe in the sea breeze and take the time to get to know the city. I last went during my student days when I lived in London (over 15 years ago… what??!!!) so I’m really looking forward to (re)discovering it.  So far our plans include perhaps going for a hike if the weather isn’t too cold, but we’ll settle for spending our days in bookstores, museums or cafés with tea and scones if we really must;)

Graduation time

/ cultivatingjoy / 1 Comment

IMG_5320

JOYFUL GRATITUDE #67

Today I witnessed my sister Helena’s Master graduation from the University of Amsterdam in Social and Cultural Anthropology.  It was an intimate ceremony where her supervisor spoke about the experience of accompanying her along the journey of writing her thesis about young women practising casual sex in Taiwan. Helena received lots of well-deserved compliments about her research, the quality of her writing style and the deep respect she shows for her participants.

I was lucky to be alongside Helena throughout her Master, as she stayed on our couch regularly, always arriving just on time for dinner and bringing her curiosity, her jokes and her good mood to our home.  As we cooked tasty meals, we had conversations on all sorts of topics ranging from feminism to the latest series we love to watch, from travel stories to the particularities of the naked mole rat… I am super grateful that we could spend all this time together:)

An intriguing sight

/ cultivatingjoy / 1 Comment

IMG_4665

JOYFUL GRATITUDE #66

Last weekend, though it was freezing cold, I couldn’t resist the beautiful sunshine so I took a long walk to get some fresh air and vitamin D.  I headed to my favorite place by the water, an area in my neighbourhood which I appreciate no matter the season (I’ve written about it here and here :).

This time I was enchanted by this intriguing sight. I absolutely love how this flock of seagulls seem to have each chosen their own post and then faced the sun at the exactly the same angle, standing very still and basking in the light in such an orderly manner.  Birds will never cease to amaze me!

Being present

/ cultivatingjoy / Leave a comment

IMG_3311
JOYFUL GRATITUDE #65

I’ve recently started an 8 week mindfulness course and in the last week I have meditated daily.  Hooray! Having the accountability of my course mates really helps to stay on track. While I meditate my thoughts are constantly running off all over the place to what happened during the day, what someone said to me, what I should have done or what I have to do the next day… That being said, I am glad to at least be carving out that quiet time for myself out of my daily schedule to slow down and strengthen the muscle of bringing my attention back to the present moment.  I am showing up with my beginner’s mindset and am very curious to learn and see what all this brings:)

Twirling dancers

/ cultivatingjoy / Leave a comment

IMG_4652

JOYFUL GRATITUDE #64

Today I would like to celebrate the insanely beautiful Romanesco broccoli. It turns out it is incredibly hard to take a picture that does justice to the amazing shape and geometry of this veggie. The upside is that, from this angle, the little peaks of the broccoli look to me like a dance-floor full of twirling dresses. So gorgeous!

Catching up

/ cultivatingjoy / Leave a comment

IMG_3323

JOYFUL GRATITUDE #63

I’m very happy that Paolo is back from his month away in Italy!  For a while he didn’t have a return ticket and I wasn’t sure he’d even come back;)  Though I must say I wouldn’t have blamed him for staying, considering how warm and sunny the weather was over there! It’s a pleasure to catch up with each other whilst eating amazing Italian delicacies and to hear all about his time soaking up the culture in Rome and Sicily with friends and family.

In particular, Paolo’s latest stories about hiking on Mount Etna with his dad, have me aching to pull on my hiking boots and go straight there to feel those sensations again! This is a picture from our trip in August 2013.  It’s so impressive to see where the lava rolled down the side of the hill, destroying everything in its path and leaving only a few tree-skeletons standing.  Up high on the mountain the air felt surprisingly crisp and cool, and I loved the unique crunch of dried lava beneath my feet, as we walked through the majestic and desolate landscape… I have the feeling we will go there again soon:)

Mindful walk

/ cultivatingjoy / 1 Comment

IMG_4584

JOYFUL GRATITUDE #62

I have lots of good intentions about going for a walk first thing in the morning when I’m not rushing to work, but for some reason I resist them fiercely.  Though I know it would be good for me to begin the day by moving my body, getting some fresh air and being in touch with the elements, somehow I usually come up with all sorts of things that need doing before I head out.

However today the sun was beckoning after yesterday’s windy storm, so before starting anything else I just put on my shoes and left the house.

I had a beautiful walk. It felt so great to be outside and take my time, with no specific destination in mind, my only goal being to try and walk on the sunny side of the street as much as possible. The cold woke me up and I enjoyed looking at the sun playing hide and seek in passing clouds. To be present and not get too lost in my thoughts, I focussed on small things that caught my eye, like the unusual beauty in a colourful lichen or branches of a willow tree gently knotted together…

IMG_4580

Luxury is a state of mind

/ cultivatingjoy / 2 Comments

IMG_4293

JOYFUL GRATITUDE #61

I am excited about the pile of new books on my dresser that are waiting to be read and the fact that it’s weekend, meaning I have plenty of free time to laze about in pyjamas with a delicious cup of tea and can delve uninterrupted into the worlds between their pages!