My Sweden Story - Diary Entry number 2

People and places ~ the essence of a new life experience.

"Each of us has a story of our own. When we meet different people at the various turns of  life, their stories become entwined to ours and they become a part of our stories too.", a rough representation of the dialogues in some movie that I had once watched.
Stockholm has been such a wonderful experience in that regard. There will be lots of memories that I will carry in my heart always. Solitary walks by the buildings of the Old Town, through the narrow cobble stoned streets, watching the radiant colors of the skies, sitting on the benches by the waters as the lights of the city twinkled all around, feeling the wind on my face while listening to the cries of the seagulls...I could go on and on.
These rendezvous make me feel strangely calm from within, its an indescribable feeling, I find myself smiling for no apparent season other than the fact that I feel truly alive and happy, rid of all negativity.

There are solitary walks and then are the ones with some pleasant company. Each fulfilling in its own way.
 A treasure trove of stories, of experiences, of conversations...and so much more.

I have a confession to make - I have always been enthralled by and, in a way, obsessed with, the movies that speak about romance found on European vacations, be it of the Hollywood variety or the ones much closer home. It seemed to me like the perfect backdrop to a beautiful romance, the European cities, with their colors, music, art and history, a throbbing, pulsating, exhilarating life.
I still believe in that, but there's a new dimension added to it now. It is not only the romance between two people that fascinates and excites me, but it is about a greater romance, of loving the way I am, of rediscovering the precious feeling of wide-eyed wonder at new experiences, of being at peace by accepting the ups and downs.
Have you ever had a feeling when you come upon something so beautiful, that you just stand there and try your best to take in all that beauty? Ever made an attempt to fill your heart with all that wonder and all that joy, so that you can light a candle with it in dark times?
It is a very precious feeling.

My most memorable and enjoyable Stockholm moments would be the walks, the chance meetings with strangers, the smiles shared, the charm of the Old Town, walking by the port and daydreaming about the Viking ships of yore, venturing down unknown streets and always discovering something appealing at the end of the road, of gazing at towering old buildings and little, forgotten cottages and wondering about how life must have been in there, sometimes letting life race you by while you step aside just being happy...

May the fragrances of these moments linger with me wherever I might be...

As Benjamin Disraeli had said, "Like all great travellers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen."
I would like to take my first step down that wondrous path.


                                 

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