Britta's Letters from her life divided between city-life in German's capital Berlin and life in a Bavarian village

Sunday 20 November 2022

A Winter Walk on a Sunday Morning

 


Yesterday morning the world turned white. The first snow! 

Today I put on a warm hat, a warm coat and gloves, tossed my contempt for damp cold overboard and - though it was only nine o'clock in the morning - went out for a long solitary walk. 

The snow painted everything almost monochrom - but that heightened the few colours under the masses of snow: 





 Everyday objects became spellbound:  



And then I felt as if I was falling under magic spell too and had to find the talismanic phrase. 
The way in front of me vanished into fog! 



The path disappeared in Nowhere Land. 

As in Life, I thought: you do not know where you go. 
There might be some surprises in for you - although you had planned so well, took care of everything - but then Leela, the Hinduism goddess of "divine play", might laugh out loud. 

But in spite of that you have to trust - that's what I learned after a bad turn in my life seven years ago. 
Life is strong. And one can be sure - if one wants to live - life goes on. The way might be leading into the foggy unknown - 


and it might be a long way, and sometimes damned uncomfortable, but at last there comes another bend, and in-between sometimes you might find  a (cold?) seat, rest a while, 


or, if you are very daring (and impatient) you might even climb up a high seat to get an overview: 


I looked back at my past: it seemed to disappear in fog too. And I saw some other directions I could have chosen: 


How would my life have been then? 

I didn't break my head about what could have been for a long time. I am someone who is always attracted to little thing of beauty - and those you find almost everywhere on your way, even in winter: 




When I finally turned and walked back I saw that my "walk in time" eventually will go downhill - there's no use in denying that - 


but I accept that because I know: 
it is my way Home. 







 

31 comments:

  1. Well written Britta and such beautiful pictures.

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    1. Thank you, Guusje - it is so nice to see you here again! Except Zoutelande I haven't seen much of the Netherlands this year - the heavily working Flying Dutchman will come a few days before Christmas to Berlin.

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  2. I don't think I would like snow, but I know exactly what you mean by the beauty of every day objects and the power of solitary walks. When my beautiful labrador died of old age, I stopped the long walks, exercise, fresh air and flowers/trees snd only walked to do the shopping. What a shame.

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    1. Dear Helen, I hope that now you are well in walks again? They clear mind and heart, and do the body good. And although it will be a lot nicer with a Labrador it is also fine to walk alone. Nature and beauty comfort.

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  3. What a beautiful post - the last lines especially. Life like nature comes in rhythms and circles don't you think? And winter is on of the great reminders of that.

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    1. Thank you, I enjoy your comment very much.
      Yes, circles are a good metaphor - from spring to winter and then again... and every season has its charms.

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  4. The pathway, one has to look out for the smallest bends and curves and make the most of them. I am trying to do that now. The snow looks very beautiful.

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    1. Yes, Rachel - I see that you are doing just that: enjoy what is offered. You live a rich life, and master the challenges with stamina.

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  5. That's a lovely essay post. Full of wisdom and remjnders.

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  6. Well said. The twists and turns of life keep us on our toes. Resilience is an all important skill. Finding the good rather than the downside of any situation is key. As you state, beauty can be found but only if you are looking for it.

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    1. Dear Susan, "beauty can be found only if you are looking for it" - that is so true, and there is so much of it around. I am surprised that on my almost daily walks over the hills here in Bavaria I always find something new - another flower that opened, another light from the sky - always change, never the same - and thus never ever boring.

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  7. A beautifully written post Britta - there is so much snow around blogland and I am wondering "could it be coming here?" I peer at the sky and it is blue, the sun is out, but there is definitely more of a chill in the air.
    Your writing reminds me of a Rumi quote re: the many pathways and choices life offers.
    "It's your road and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you. Wherever you are, and whatever you do, be in love. Your heart knows the way. Run in that direction."

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    1. Dear Rosemary, thank you! With all these kind comments I am glowing with thankfulness.
      I wonder when snow will come to your beautiful part of the world - here it was a surprise.
      Thank you for the Rumi quote - I will write it as a motto on the covering page of my newly bought diary 2023.

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  8. The contrast between the snow and small pieces of color are indeed beautiful. The pathway dissolving into fog is also beautiful. If we keep our minds open beauty is everywhere

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  9. Dear Emma, thank you! Those red rose-hips and the leaves in the snow got more brilliance through the glaring white snow. When colour gets rare it is more impressing, I think.

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  10. How beautiful, Britta! The images and the words. Yes, I agree, there's nothing to be gained from examining too long what could have been for we can only move forwards in life. And as you say so well, keep walking and you will find yourself in the here & now with little brilliances of colour and beauty to dot your path.

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    1. Dear Pip, thank you! You decidedly have eyes for beauty - I think of all the treasures you show us in your blog.
      To meet human beings who go through life with open eyes are rare - and if they are able to add some laughter, as you can - that is like finding - oomph: "Holy Grail" is too pompous - needle in the haystack too strange an image - thus I am content with the word "wonderful"! .

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  11. That was worth reading...thank you

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    1. Thank you, Libby - I am very glad to hear that!

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  12. Thank you, dear Joanne! After "drinking in" the beauty of the silent white world the words just came (I wanted to write 'quilled' but am not sure if that is correct) out of my pen.
    "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost that you hint at is a beautiful poem.

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  13. Your snow photos and lovely words welcomed my morning dear Britta and, having been at Robert Frost's farm when in New Hampshire recently, I'm now imaging that particularly lovely place covered in snow right now. The northeast of the US is really getting hit hard by early snowfalls.
    Our road through life is definitely a journey of ups and downs and taking the road less traveled can be the right or the wrong one. The thing is though to take a road somewhere. . . . . be adventurous . . . . . . and then make the most of whatever lies ahead!
    No snow here but we did have frost the past two nights - I wrote a post about that just this morning!
    Enjoy your week Britta.
    Hugs, Mary

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    1. Dear Mary, thank you for your heartwarming comment!
      Wow - you visited Robert Frost's farm! So many of his poems are lovely and full of wisdom.
      To make the most of things which are there is the right way - and I think: to stop and notice them is the first step. Even though we have more time now it is easy to still be hectic and thus "in a hurry". I try to be very attentive to that phenomenon - often I do too much, and though I do not want to I'm still in the suction of silly perfectionism...
      I wish you a fine week too, Mary! Hugs, Britta

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  14. Exquisitely done! I completely appreciate the artistry effort (almost Sebaldian) in the way you choregraph the beautiful imagery and words. It reads like a narrative prose poem. I keep thinking of Frost's poem: "The Road Not Taken" with all the images of the paths and your reflections on life's destination. It has the most beautiful last stanza, don't you agree? "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—/I took the one less traveled by,/And that has made all the difference." The older I get, the more I appreciate going on a path that is less travelled. After all, the romantics are right to believe that it is better to travel hopefully than it is to arrive. Perhaps, that's what made all the difference. Thank you so much for writing this. May you be blessed with an everlasting happiness of finding your way home at the end of your journey.

    Best wishes, ASD

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    1. Thank you so much, ASD - I feel warm and happy after reading your comment. And - though I love to be praised - when I get that, I become almost shy. (And fear to write the next post - I very seldom I met people who rest so much in themselves that they do not fear to write another post when praise might have kindled "high expectations").
      The lines of Robert Frost's poem are superb - and the making of decisions - theory and praxis - was always a major theme/interest in my life.
      I agree with you that getting older makes one more independent from the appreciation of others - though I am still not free from it - but I learned that I have to follow my path - to be content and sometimes even happy.
      I sometimes need a bit of solitude to be able to listen to what I want - and still strive to learn the art of saying what I want (in a polite way).

      Interesting: I just started a "revival" of reading romantic literature a while ago - German and English Romantic.
      And yes: I love possibilities - "to travel hopefully".

      Thank you again for writing, dear friend.

      PS: Are you talking of W.G. Sebald? I confess I haven't yet read anything of him - sounds interesting.

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  15. Snow makes everything look so beautiful and so quiet doesn't it Britta and, although we are given many difficult things to deal with in life, the alternative is not so appealing !!! I love those little touches of colour that can be found, poking through the pure white { as in life }. Keep warm Britta. XXXX

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    1. Dear Jackie, so sorry that till now I couldn't answer your friendly comment - I have been in Berlin! There we had no snow, but cold wind. Yet it was beautiful, city life, too. XXXX

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  16. It is my way home, that is true. I like your essay and photos, each one showing a scene of beauty from red berries to snow and ice.

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    1. Dear Terra, as I said to Jackie: sorry for answering so late - but in Berlin I had no access to my blog.
      Thank you for your kind words - I am happy that you like it.

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  18. Thank you, Ajmal - and good luck with your graphic studio!

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