One Man’s Joy is Another Man’s Sorrow

Today is Ash Wednesday and Valentine's Day simultaneously. Christians are reminded of their fleeting existence by the words 'Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.' While people, mostly in the Western Hemisphere, celebrate St. Valentine's Day, honouring a martyr named Valentine, it's also a celebration of romance. Both of these feasts are beautiful in their own way. Even for those who do not follow Christianity, Ash Wednesday's compelling nature ensures we don't forget how volatile and transient our existence is. Some might find this combination controversial; however, the 46 days before Easter provide ample opportunity to reflect on its meaning. I find Valentine's Day romance rather ambiguous. Why do we need to be reminded of loving each other? What about the rest of the year? Can we remain cruel just because we will make up for it on Valentine's Day? The same applies to Ash Wednesday: are we truly so oblivious to our mortality that we require a reminder?

I'm particularly sensitive to these topics for good reason. Exactly five years ago to the day, I had to make one of the hardest decisions of my life; I had to let Myke go. After a painfully long period of suffering, his body succumbed to the disease, and we lost our beloved puppy. The scar his passing left is so deep that it'll never heal completely. Even though I try to invoke the happy moments with him, to remember how magical his fur felt, his absence, which oddly became his presence, hurts. I wish he could be with me again! Nevertheless, Abby tries to fill this void Myke left behind, and I would lie if I said I don't adore this little rascal as much as I did with all our previous dogs. Still, Myke was special and very dear to my heart.

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Chillaxing

When I woke up this morning, I knew the day wouldn't be an active one. Nothing sinister happened that would have suggested anything unexpected; it was rather one of those intuitions that depicted how the events of the day would unfold. This gut feeling strengthened when I grabbed Abby's leash and took her for her early morning walk. She was as inactive as I was, and the speed and length of our walk corroborated this theory. We ambled back to the house momentarily. After this painfully short-lived stroll with a surprisingly exhausted canine, I sat in front of the TV, munched my breakfast and slurped the much-needed black nectar in the form of a strong espresso. What a surreal still-life this was. Especially considering how many episodes we have watched from one of the currently watched series. As my system started to absorb the caffeine, switching my wee brain into the first gear, the haze dissipated over today's schedule. Harnessing this ephemeral clear state, I rushed into...

Keskiviikko 🇫🇮 Miðvikudagur 🇮🇸

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Sunnuntai 🇫🇮 Sunnudagur 🇮🇸

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My Life after CELTA

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