fight or flight

There is something to be said about peace of mind... the kind of peace you get only when children are asleep and for a moment or so there seem to be no worries in the world. It is not really linked to holidays at least not for me; holidays are Pause, they are not a Stop button, therefore all unsolved issues remained unsolved, we just put off their solution, which can be source of worry in itself.

I am usually worried, I spend my life worried, but lately I am starting to experience quite strong "flight" instincts. For me that is not an all good sign, when I start to get the urge to leave I eventually succeed but often the cost varies. This time I am not ready for any cost, but I do know that something has got to give and the tide must change. It could be of course that change is nothing but a state of mind which can eventually lead to peace but I have not figured that out either. For the time being I am struggling with the urge.... and peace is far from my mind!

It is the trees' fault... after four days of devastating fires sure to lead to flooding aside from the obvious ugliness, the official word is that the trees are partly to blame for the fires! you know, their shape, structure, position was provocative!! As incompetence, ignorance are hailed as 'government position', I cannot help but wonder what has gone wrong with us. It is obvious that we live in a country we deserve, run by people we deserve, so basically it is our fault.

What happens to humans with power? Why is power seen as nothing more than an entrance way to all those things we are groomed to envy all our lives?! A house on a hill... in the middle of the trees... away from everyone else... It seems to me that we are now more than ever prepared to do anything for money and getting what we want, burning a few acres of land, bribing a few officials etc etc etc. The price is constantly higher of course but we seem to accept it, because deep down we know that we might find ourselves in a similar position. Yes, we 'hate' all those bad people who go and built houses where once stood great pine trees... BUT we see the house with the pool and we know, we know what we are too scared to admit even to ourselves....

ashes to ashes.....

I need to write today... I have been meaning to write this post all weekend in one form or another. I did nothing yet I feel exhausted; once again this morning I woke up and my mountain balcony view was an apocalyptic scene of bellowing smoke hiding the sun. Fire everywhere burning down tomorrow. These are not just trees, these are tomorrows trees, but alas.

Sunday morning, we got up at 6:30 am and the flames visible from the living room window revealed just how close hell was, about 15min by car to be exact. And yet we never learn, we will forget this tragedy like we forgot others before it, we will get used to driving through bare mountains were once stood 100-year old pine forests. And we will get used to more people building their dream houses on burnt down hopes. So we probably deserve this, we must deserve it because it has been going on for so long, it is obviously ok by us, by all of us. and that is what makes me so sad...

A friend of mine, whom I have recently caught up with, is soon moving to the US with his family for a new start having been offered a brand new position in his field. Apart from the gutsiness of his move, I believe 100% that people were put on this Earth to make such decisions, to change our lives to pick and go where we believe we will be better off, not just us but our families too. I wish all three of them the best of luck!

hail to the new season...

So we are settling back, trying to shake the sand out of our Birkenstocks and our loafers, looking for the After-sun lotion and wondering when the phone in the office will ring again so we can set the big wheel in motion again.

Holidays in the Greek islands has its good and bad points; but one of the best points is the deep sense of escape one gets after living the island-life even for a few days. It is not just the beach or the sun or the endless walks around green-less specks of rock darted around on a blue blanket. It is the sense of belonging to that place, of doing things their way and not missing your keyboard or your Wi-Fi or your Outlook. For me the biggest holiday crime is asking that terrible question "Do you have Wi Fi connection?" to the hotel manager of the cutest bungalow complex in the southern Aegean sea. Unfortunately there is Wi Fi access, by popular demand. But in spite of the lap-toppers holidays are indeed an event that bring us face to face with at least some of our demons, yet another time for resolutions, decisions and even actions. And I hope and pray I will find the strength to be resolute, decide and act in this new season that is dawning... Welcome back...