Live your life

Hands are shaking
words come slow

Hair is grey

I told you so

- she says, with such a rusty voice
know who you are and make your choice

of your life How you want to live 
let go of bad, good stuff: you give!
surf happy off, and screw them all 
cause only you can make the call  

she sighs. Her voice goes weaker now
I move much closer, voice so low

the fire in her eyes is barely there,
she smiles a bit as I pull her near

and hug her tight

one last time

her wisdom is with me, I know it by heart

to live and let go

to love and let go

to let go

and live 

my life 

live my life 

AaA - are you a fan?

If you have followed me for a while, you might suspect me of being a fan of AaA ( = Adapt-and-Adjust). I do believe that an important element to living in balance wherever you are  - is to adapt and adjust. To a certain extend. Especially if you move to another country for a longer period of time. Or come think of it, even if you are just visiting for a short while or coming as a tourist. If  you make another country your new adopted country and settle there for a period, I believe its good to try to meet your new country with respect, positivity and an open mind. To adjust and adapt, more or less. Lately I had and very interesting discussion with some friends about this:

- Should you change your style of dressing because it is not how they dress in your "new" country?
- Should you change your diet to whatever they are eating where you are now?

- To what extent should you really AaA? Is there a limit?

- How can you AaA without "loosing" yourself?
- Can you risk adjusting so much that you jeopardize your own values and believes? And can that be harmful to you in the long run or not?

Personally, I think it can be pretty easy, or at least it should be. I am a fan of diversity, wherever I am. There should be room for people to dress, eat, drink, read, write and say what they like. But at the same time adjust and adapt. Yes, I do think that that is perfectly compatible, because if you know who you are and in balance, you are a constant learner to life, and will never cease to develop as a human being. You will know what matters to you, what is important, and what your values and beliefs are. If anything, living in different countries has taught me:

- Do not judge other people or cultures, and show respect.
- Let go of whatever you can not change or control
- Life is too short not to be be curious. Be open to new opinions, food, ways of doing things. Its fun! Then at least you can say you have tried. And you can choose: you can take with you what you like, leave behind what you don't like, and move on. That's the glory of this journey called life.

So out of my comfort sone. So out of my element. And still.... at home. 

So, are you a fan? Of adapting and adjusting?

Photo memory - what's with this one?

Do you like taking photos? If you do, do you have any favourite motives? Or some scenery that you like to capture in particular? Thinking about it, I enjoy taking pictures of people from behind.

Yes, it sounds I bit weird, I agree. But that's how it is, and I admit it. I like capture people sitting looking over the sea or water or admiring the view. They don't see me, and I like watching them watching something that they obviously like or feel strongly about. Without them seeing me seeing them, if you know what I mean?

Then I like to look at smiling faces, genuine smiles looking straight in to the camera lens. Right at me. People looking happy and relaxed. And smiling, not because of the lens, but because they simply feel like smiling, laughing. So I like having people in my pictures: old, young, women, men, kids. People.

But once in a while, I click a picture that I really really like, without knowing why. And I can just sit and watch it. Again and again. It is for some reason moving to me. It brings out an emotion. Let me show you a picture that does that to me. A photo memory. A moment captured. Is it the colours? The nature? The fluttering white sheets. The vibrant green trees. The blue sky. The red barn. The memory of the very day the picture was taken? The thought of strolling down that path on that sunny day? Walking from the shade and out in to the sunlight?

I don't know. It just speaks to me.

Do you like this one? What are your favourite photos? Please share. 

Vegetable soup - recipe

Yes, a soup can be exciting and full of flavors, and no, this soup will not take you forever to make.

It pretty much makes itself, and you can, like I do, chop the veggies the evening before. (which feels like an awesome idea that next day when you come home from work and will start cooking) And the best: it is fresh (you know exactly what you have put in there), healthy, and too tasty. That's what I think anyway.

I hope you will give it a try.

You need (for 2-4 persons):
4 chopped cloves of garlic
2 chopped onions
1 cauliflower, chopped in small pieces
1 broccoli, chopped in small pieces
(NB! you can replace the vegetables with tomatoes or other favorite vegetables)Salt, pepper 

1 spoon butter, 1 spoon oil
Cream and/or yogurt

In cauliflower/broccoli soup: add some dill and parsley
In tomato soup: add some chili


You do:
Fry the garlic and onion in butter/oil until they are golden. Add the chopped vegetables.
Pour over 1-2 l water and let boil until the vegetables are soft (10-15 minutes). Use a hand-mixer to mash the vegetables, but if you like, (I do) leave some of the vegetables in small pieces. Towards the end, add a few spoons of cream or yogurt.

Just before serving, lay on a spoon of yogurt in the soup bowl. Decorate with some fresh dill or parsley. Serve with brown bread. 

Do you like soup? Any favorites? 

Let it go

It is all in your past, let it be, let it go
it has happened, it's over, it was meant to be so

it was good while it lasted, now its time to move on
you cant change it, live with it, make a song of your own

find a rythm of your life, find a path, find a way
and bring with you the good things, - just like they say

but dont walk in the shadows of what used to be
look above all the dark clouds, look ahead - not for me

walk outside, take a deep breath, then look up, see the sky?
you are here for a reason, and don't linger with "why"

feel the rain on your forehead, sense the breeze in your hair
put a hand on your chest, this is why you are here

feel your heartbeat, sense your breathing, it is here, it is now
so enjoy, live the present, and let go. Let it go

Pic credit: my daughter:-) 

Kitchari - recipe

- If any food could wear a cape and fly, it would be Kitchari. (1)

The Indian dish Kitchari has become a big favorite of mine, a delicious meal which fills the kitchen with wonderful scents. Kitchari is best known as the all-star of Ayurvedic cleansing, and if you are a yogi, you might know the dish? - it is said to be the most wholesome food for yogis- balanced for body & soul.

Kitchari is known for the good ability to detoxify the body, it is nourishing and easy to digest. It has a perfect balance of healthy proteins and carbs. In addition, it may help healing digestive problems, balance the metabolism, clean your liver and assist in weight stabilization. Not bad?

There are so many different ways to make Kitchari (which means mixture, usually of two grains, by the way), but common for all is that it does not take a lot of time, and it is easy to make. I like it this way:

You need:
1/2 cup basmati rice
1 cup red lentils (Mung Dal, split yellow)
6 cups water
2 tsp butter (ghee, if you have)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 cm ginger root (chopped)
1 t coriander seeds
1/2 t salt
fresh cilantro leaves

If you like, you can also add 1 cup assorted vegetables. I have experimented at bit and tried with different vegetables. You can add carrots, potatoes, beans, but I liked it with zucchini or tomatoes - I think both works very well. Separately though.

You do:
Clean the lentils and rice, and set aside. Heat the butter in a pan, and add the seeds. Saute them until they pop, and then add the other spices. Add the rice and lentils, and pour over water. Allow it to boil for 20 minutes, but check that it has enough water. It shall be a bit sticky, but not dry!. After 20 minutes you can add chopped vegetables. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. (you can also precook them, and add them to the rest towards the end of the cooking time )

That's it, dear reader, it is ready - I hope you got tempted to try it out?






(1) Kate Lumsden- www.elephantjournal.com

Happy ILD day!

I love to write. I love to read. And I love thinking back to a childhood where I would dive into the mystery world of litterature. Be gone, travel off, be lost there. For hours. For days. Come to think of it, I can still do that. Oh, the wonderful joy of the written word. The amazing force of it. Powerful. Joyful. Provocative. Soothing.

I can not imagine how my life would be witout writing and reading. Can you?

Today is International Literacy Day (ILD). Today we focus on raising awareness for those who can not read or write. Today we give children and communities a chance to rediscover the joy of reading while raising awareness for those without access to education. Or as UNESCO says:

International Literacy Day was first celebrated in 1966. It's aim is to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies. On International Literacy Day, UNESCO reminds the international community of the status of literacy and adult learning globally. Some 775 million adults lack minimum literacy skills; one in five adults is still not literate and two-thirds of them are women. 60.7 million children are out-of-school and many more attend irregularly or drop out

As for me, on a day like this, my mind goes to Meena. It is unavoidable. To shy Meena, and her love for reading. Her love for books. To her humble gratefulnes of being able to take a book home with her. To her joy, enthusiasm and engagement. To my little book lover Meena. My mind and my heart goes to her and to all her fellow class mates. To the kids who couldn't believe it was true - that they could borrow a book with them. The kids who laughed and danced and celebrated vividly with me, when we established our little community library. What a joy! A library of our own. My fellow book lovers.

Today we celebrate the joy of writing and reading. May it never be taken for granted.

Today I want to celebrate Meena. For coming into my life. For teaching me. Gratitude. Joy. Compassion. This is for her and for all the Meenas of the world.

For Meena.

What a glorious day

What a glorious day this is,
she thought
running free running high running wild

and the grass is so green,
and the sun shines so bright,
she laughs out, feeling larger than life

because no more control,
no more fear, no more hate,
it's all gone, she broke free finally

she is here in this moment
it is now, it's all hers

she's the queen of her own life at last

3 days in Barcelona

So, for the first time ever I went to mainland Spain. For the first time I went to Barcelona. A city I had read about in the unforgettable book The Shadow of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, (a book I wept dearly over when I was done reading it). And my urge to visit Barcelona was even more nurtured when I read the powerful Cathedral of the Sea by Ildefonso Falcones, a book set in the medieval Barcelona.

In One Word, my dearies: Amazing. Amazing Barcelona. The architecture, the food, the feeling... . Yup - this is a city I would go back to. But only 3 days, what to see, where to go? Not a chance that I am "done" with this city. Here are my top 3 days - 5 Barcelona moments:

1. Strolling at Mercat de la Boqueria. I do have a soft spot for market places like this: the whole atmosphere; strolling around in between stalls selling fruit, vegetables, nuts, dried fruit, sweets, oil, juice, ham etc. Yes, a bit touristy perhaps, located as it is just by Los Ramblas, but still a fun place to explore.

2. Exploring the churches and architecture in general. Oh yes, it was pretty amazing to see the breathtaking grandious churches from the books I had been reading. The gorgeous Santa Maria del Mar, and the one-of -a kind Sagrada Familia. I liked strolling around in the narrow alleyways of the area Barri Gotic, and to walklike a queen down the broad majestetic avenues.

3. A morning at Camp Nou. Yes, since one of my travel companions is a huuuge football fan, a visit to Camp Nou, the largest football stadium in Europe was a must. And it was fun! Together with almost 100.000 visitors you can watch Messi and his team.

4. A lazy afternoon at Barceloneta, the large beach located in the centre of the city. And what amazing combination: a sweathy morning in the city, and then a lazy afternoon on the beach, streched out, sipping a cold drink while watching the sun set over the sea. Beautiful.

5. Brunching at Rekons (Comte d'Urgell 32). The food in Barcelona deserves a chapter of its own really. In short: We Ate Well. Lots of Tapas: small dishes that just kept coming. Small grilled green peppers, ham, small pies, olives... Our favorites turned out to be the small places in the university areas. Places like Rekons, where they made our huge salad as we watched - all fresh, cheap and sooo tasty...

So long Barcelona. Hope to see you again:-)