Day 178. It's all about the journey

   ... not the destination, they say:) Today my family and I made a new step in our family tradition journey:) We went in the search of spring. And we found her:)

   We chose a different spot this time. One that we visited 4 years ago. Interestingly, we remembered details that helped us arrive exactly where Spring was laying in the woods. But today we took a new road, different than last time. Are you afraid of the new? I am, too. But I trust my dad. He has a good spatial orientation:) So our team began its walk towards the lonely woods, towards patches of snow and mild wind. When entering the forest an intense feeling of peace and joy caught me completely. I felt I was there and then. And nothing else mattered. 

   We continued our journey while gazing around and enjoying the sun embracing us through the trees. In the end we arrived at the destination. Snowdrops were peaking at us from everywhere. They were here and there, in the valley and on the little hill. But they were shy. Still not prepared to fully blossom. We carefully picked some and then we took some photos of us. I promised I'd frame one of them because we should forever remember today. This perfect spring day that God bestowed upon us:) 

   The road home made me smile once more because I realized all this journey helped me find myself, the same feeling I have after visiting a church. I really felt I connected with everything around me. I breathed spring, I let her come around me and enter my lungs, my heart, my everything. I feel complete. Right here, right now.

Day 176. The 1st of March

   Today I had such a special day:) It felt like I stepped in a dream and I was walking around in amazement in a land of fairies. Everywhere I looked I was surrounded by beautiful spring flowers. Snowdrops, hyacinths and tulips, a sea of color and perfume:) Wow! And it was the 1st of March. Such a festive day! It made everything more intense and more springy:)

   At the kindergarten children were all wearing cute cartoon character trinkets. I loved seeing their faces light up when talking about them and proudly associating them with spring:) Everybody was so happy while working on their little gifts for their mothers while spring songs could be heard everywhere. Spring decorations were hanging in the halls and in the classrooms and everyone was giving away and receiving mărțișoare:) I received some myself. The kids were sooo adorable while giving them to me:) One of the little ones said: "Have a lovely spring and thank you for taking care of me." Awww!:) 

   Then, after coming home my cousin gave me this beautiful handmade mărțișor (in the photo). These are the ones I appreciate the most. The ones kids make with their own hands. They have so much more meaning:)

   And this is what spring is all about. JOY! The joy of coming back to life and enjoying nature and its wonders. Spring is definitely THE season. My season:) I'm in love again:)

Day 170. Let it spring

Dear diary,

   

    Today I was eagerly waiting to go meet her. I wasn't sure she would be waiting for me, but she sent me some signs these past days so I kept my hopes up:) The city is not hers yet so I went to the forest and started looking for her between the trees, through the dead leaves, in the air, everywhere. I was patient enough and after some time I did. I found her. She was very shy, well hidden and barely wanting to be discovered, but there she was: in the snowdrop buds showing up through the leaves, in the sun shining warmly, in the smiles of relaxed people. 

   Winter's gone. Or at least she has her luggage done. So I took Spring by the hand and I welcomed her. I hugged her dearly and I told her I'm going to take care of her from now on. Try to keep her happy. We all like sunny days, don't we? 

   I even had a room make-over at home. I put away all the wintery stuff and made place for touches of spring. And snowdrops are now my most precious jewelry. There they stand as I'm writing to you:) They're smiling at me because we both know I'll be born again this spring. 

   I can't wait for her arrival in the city, to walk with her and catch up just like old friends do:) ... I feel like a teenager... Maybe that's the effect she has on me and I'm willing to accept it as a part of who I am because every time she's around I'm being myself again:) So let it spring!:)

Love,

D.

Day 111. Family traditions

   

   My family has two big traditions: in spring - picking snowdrops from a forest near the city and in winter - picking mistletoe from a different forest near the city:) They're things we've done since I was a little child. I don't know how it all started but I remember how much we liked to pick our own snowdrops that announce nature coming back to life/ mistletoe for good luck and how  happy they made all our relatives that we gave them to. In the end we just liked the idea of making these OUR thing:) 

   Today was the day for picking mistletoe. We even took my best friend with us and so our journey began:) The day was surely the warmest of all the years so far. I thought I'd find crispy trees and take awesome landscape photos but the snow merely covered the ground in patches. We started to walk towardws the trees we knew to provide mistletoe for us. Meanwhile my best friend was continually slipping so I had to hold her tight:) Life is full of nice surprises so I found other interesting things to take photos to and after a while of walking we got to the trees we were looking for. We got our lucky mistletoe and then we drank some hot tea and ate some of my best friend's amazing cookies. After all this we started walking towards home. My best friend was right about a thing though: it was like the whole year was felt in our bodies: our head was warm (spring), our body was hot (summer), our legs were chilly (autumn) and our feet were frozen (winter). 

   It was a nice experience though and I remembered how good it is to have family traditions:) It's a personal signature that will last forever, at least in pictures and our memories:)