Don’t take it for granted…

It is amazing how we tend to take everything for granted when really we shouldn’t… The big car, the big house, the kids, the job that makes you ridiculously rich… It all seems so normal to us to have all that, we forget that we can lose it all on one day.
Monday, April 15, 2013 it is such a beautiful day, everyone is outside and as it is the tradition every year, people are running the Boston marathon. I was supposed to meet friends in the afternoon so I leave my house and take the direction of Fenway. As I get to the meeting place, i try to get myself busy until my friends make it to the place. But I can't seem to be able to wrap my mind around whatever it is that I am doing. There is that weird feeling that kept on bugging me… you know that feeling you have when something bad is about to happen and your intuition is telling you “ you better get you’re a** out of here otherwise it's not going to be good for you”.

As none is coming, I change my mind and I decide to leave. On my way to the train station, I see a lot of ambulances, the police is everywhere and the traffic is crazy. There was a big crowd coming toward me, it seemed weird but I thought maybe the marathon was over and the people were just leaving the place. Then I receive a call from one of my acquaintance. I couldn’t hear my friend, she asks me if I am still at the cafe and I said : “no, I don’t want to stay, I am waiting for the train to go home” and she told me “ I just received an alert on my phone saying there was a bomb explosion on Boylston street and the train is down. Stay where you are until the area is clear and safe enough for you to leave.”
 

As I was on my way back to the little café which was less than 10 minutes away from the explosion site, I heard people talking about it and one of them told me when I asked if it was true : “ yes it is, I was 5 blocks away when it happened.” I was literally shocked… I could retrace in my mind the pathway I took to go to the café, remembering myself saying “wow the marathon! It is so beautiful…”as I was on the bridge leading to Fenway. I had no idea, when I was passing that area that two bombs were about to explode, almost 10 to 20 minutes later. My mind just went blank and I started to shiver just at the idea that I could have been there, it could have been me that women hit in the head by the debris from the explosion or that man stuck under the security fence after the first bomb exploded. It was just surrealistic what was happening outside: the ambulances, the police, and the helicopters hovering over the area every 5 minutes… It just seemed like there was a remake of 9/11 right in the heart of Boston… I still have chills just at the idea that it could have be me…
 

I went back to the café waiting for the area to be clear and after an hour ½ I managed to find my way back home. As I was on the train, there was that man on the phone, who ran the marathon. He was probably talking to a relative or a friend who called to check on him as the news of the explosion spread quickly. He said:
“ yes… I was running the marathon but I am fine… I missed it by ten minutes. I had already passed the line and I was heading to the hotel when it happened… Thanks for calling and be safe.”

Ten minutes later and he could have been among the people that were rushed to the hospital… As I got home and gave my mind some rest, I realized that nothing on this earth is granted and your perfect world could be turned upside down any minute... You never know when it will happen or where it will happen, you never know if you will make it home tonight as you are leaving your house. You never know what might take away from you the most precious things you have in your life. This is the reason why you should always be grateful for what you have and enjoy every single moment with the persons that are dear to you. As I am home and grateful that I am alive, I am thinking about the people who lost their lives in the explosions especially that 8 years old boy as well all the people who were injured.

As you will go to bed tonight, think about what you have that people don’t and be grateful for it. If you don’t find anything to be grateful for, think about that kid who is gone and about his family that will always have a bitter taste of life every year around this period.
Now you have a reason to bow you head and be grateful, keeping in your mind that nothing is for granted especially life…

"Encouragements: Pass it on"

           On ne se rend pas vraiment compte de ce que l’on a le pouvoir d’accomplir ni des portes qui peuvent s’ouvrir devant nous lorsqu’on reste les bras croisés, sans partir à l’aventure. Partir à l’aventure peut bien signifier partir pour des terres inconnues pour les plus fougueux mais ici je fais référence au fait qu’il est important de quitter la zone de confort. Ce n’est qu’en quittant cette zone et en se surpassant qu’on arrive à exploiter pleinement notre potentiel et prendre conscience que les possibilités qui s’offrent à nous sont illimitées. Passer le cap des 500 vues est un mile stone dans ma « carrière » de bloggeuse débutante. Il y a eu beaucoup de sueurs froides quand à h-3 il n’y a toujours pas d’article à poster ou encore des déceptions quand après 6 articles et presque deux mois, les statistiques n’affichent que 32 vues. Mais au-delà de cela, il y a eu les encouragements de ceux qui ont crus en moi, qui ont vu mon potentiel au lieu des obstacles et des challenges qui se dressaient devant moi et qui m’ont soutenue dans ma vision. A Ceux qui sont tout près et qui me suivent depuis le début comme à ceux qui sont à des milliers de kilomètres et qui sont des nouveaux venus sur le blog du bonheur, je tiens à vous dire infiniment merci de prendre de votre temps pour lire mes articles. Ce n’est pas toujours évident de partager un bout de son univers avec des inconnus mais savoir que quelqu’un quelque part a trouvé sa part de bonheur à travers vos mots est la plus grande satisfaction qu’on puisse en tirer.

          Ils paraissent parfois anodins, mais les encouragements et les mots de réconforts peuvent changer du jour au lendemain la vie d’une personne.  Ils participent à faire de nous des personnes meilleures en nous façonnant tant moralement que psychologiquement, à nous donner plus d’assurance et parfois à surmonter les stéréotypes que la société nous impose. Des millions de jeunes filles auraient pu éviter de sombrer dans l’anorexie si au lieu d’être mises à l’écart, elles avaient été encouragées à avoir une image positive d’elles-mêmes. Elles n’auraient pas fait naufrage et leur estime n’aurait pas été noyée s’il y avait eu des mots justes pour leur faire comprendre que le plus important était d’être soi-même et non le stéréotype féminin créé par la société. Il y a eu des femmes qui n’avaient pas une carrure de mannequin, mais qui ont brillé comme des étoiles. Elles ont montré au monde entier qu’il n’y avait pas besoin de se transformer en « skinny minnie » pour prouver qu’elles ont du talent et aller loin dans la réalisation de leurs rêves. Adèle en est un très bel exemple. Elle commande le respect, elle est élégante, elle a des rondeurs et elle n’a pas peur ni honte de cela : elle l’assume très bien !

       Parce que trop de jeunes filles ont vues leur estime jetée dans la boue, il est important de leur faire changer la fausse perception d’elles-mêmes que la société leur renvoie. Cela se fera en leur apprenant à s’accepter telles qu’elles sont, en les encourageant à accomplir de grandes choses et à atteindre leurs objectifs. Donner un blason doré à leur estime sera l’un des principaux facteurs dans la lutte contre l’anorexie. Avoir des jeunes filles qui ne sont pas limitées par leur obsession d’être parfaites, qui ont confiance en elles et en leur potentiel n’est peut-être qu’un rêve aujourd’hui mais cela pourrait être une réalité demain. Elles en ont le pouvoir, elles n’attendent  que les mots qui pourront leur donner le courage dont elles ont besoin pour les faire aller au-delà de ce qu’elles peuvent imaginer.
Ce mile stone est un hommage a toutes ces jeunes filles qui ont un potentiel au dela de la norme et qui un jour (je l'espere) auront suffisamment d'estime pour elles-memes et d'audace pour realiser leurs reves et gagner leur droit de briller comme des etoiles.

"Encouragement, pass it on"

The most awesome place in the world...

Have you ever looked at a picture of one of those heavenly beautiful beaches under a sunset and told yourself : “this would be the most awesome place in the world to be and live at ”. It is peaceful, beautiful, appealing: yes you are definately right in your one of our most attainable and original dreams. But in your daily life what would be the most awesome place to be at? Some people would say the bedroom. There was a time it used to be the most awesome place in the world for me too you know. It is the only kingdom you get to rule on, your most honest subjects being your bed and your pillows and your closest friends your books, the playstation and your laptop (when your friends are not over your house of course!) . But then I found another place that was as awesome as my bedroom could be. As much as I loved it, I had to recognize that my Bathroom was the most awesome place in the world (after my bedroom). Although a loooot (and when I say a lot, the word is weak) of things happen in the bedroom we must give a thumb up to the bathroom.

I mean come on… it is the best place for people like us to sing: water is on, you sing out loud, no one can hear so no one can judge! LOL… so sad (I seriously need to take some classes). And when you have to do number one, number two or number three (it’s one and two), well you are glad you are in your bathroom, on the toilet A.K.A the Throne rather than in your bed. you can take a break to read that book that you have never been able to finish until that gastro from the food you had last night. I know… it is not easy to keep yourself calm and have your mind focused to read a book when you are perspiring and suffering as if you were about the leave your intestines in the toilet. But! You can always have a book-break in between two stomach spasms just in case you know … you are bored and you need to entertain yourself ( don't "ewww" me you know exactly what it is like and you probably are the one having the gastro right now and reading that on your fone while you are siting on your throne, in your bathroom)

My bathroom is my inspiration place. It is weird that it is always when I am taking a shower that I have the most f*****g brilliant ideas for my own personal life as well as for my blog. And most of the time it is on the eve of the publication or hours before it that I am like “I got it!” but then I have no paper, no pencil and duuuh! There is water and soap everywhere! Seriously… someone should create a waterproof paper or something like that to keep track of the most awesome ideas I ever had (PS: yes that one came up also when I was taking a shower!)

A bathroom is not always about just take a shower or a s#!t you know. It is also a place where I can have a “me” time and think about my life, make plans and think more deeply about rational stuff ( think about random stuff also works when my brain is too tired to process information in order). It is also a place where you can let the water run and cry without being heard, sit and be creative,  practice of your photography talents in front of your mirror or just smoke pot (lol not a fan of it but some people do it … again I am not judging!). I also loooove to play guitar in my bathroom because the echo is the perfect tool to tune the voice and the guitar. I could stay there for hours playing and enjoying the beauty of what i can sanely play at the guitar ( it doesn't happen a lot but when it does it's dope!)

It is amazing the number of things (usual as well as very unusual) that can be done in a bathroom and I am sure there are still a lot of stuff I need to learn about. For now I will stop here and if you think your bathroom is also one of the most amazing place in the world may you find some happiness there :)

 

 

“If I want to be alone, some place I can write, I can read, I can pray, I can cry, I can do whatever I want - I go to the bathroom.” - Alicia Keys.

 

 

 

Will you ever come back?

We all know how it feels to be used to see someone everyday, to do every single thing with that person until the day he/ she has to leave.

I have never been a big fan of goodbyes and I know for a fact that I will probably never be. It is just heart breaking to imagine your life without that person. It just sucks you know… going back to your old, ugly and boring life routine and just pretend the transition will be smooth. What sucks even more  is when people say “don’t think about the time I will be gone, keep the good memories of the moment we spent”  well the thing is that good memories will make it hard to get used to someone’s absence. I don’t know about you but for me it does make it hard because I have all those good memories, i would like to create some more and have that special moment and connection but guess what? You are not here and this sucks. And then there are the hugs and the crying part right on the spot for the most sensitive. Then there are the strongest who pretend on the goodbye scene that everything is fine.  But as soon as they get home, they run into the kitchen, start cooking and use the onions as an excuse for their tears when truly we know what is happening.

It is always hard to see someone leave, to say goodbye especially when you don’t know when that person will come back. I have known people who had parents, brothers, sisters, friends in the army and I can only imagine how hard it is to see them leave for days, months and even years sometimes. It is not only hard to see them leave but it is even harder to let them go when the idea that they might not come back cross their minds. I can imagine how hard it is for them and I admire them for their courage as well as the strength and faith they have knowing that it could be the last time they are seeing a loved one or that it could be the last hug. Have a special one missing all these important moments of your life knowing that it is because of something greater than your life is a daily routine for some people and somewhere else a concept that I am sure some other people would hardly understand.

 Today’s article is a tribute to the all the soldiers who leave their family and go overseas to defend what they think is noble as well as to the families who await for their beloved ones to get home. As hard as it is to see someone leave, having to say goodbye has a bright side: It reminds us of how important some people are in our lives and also that we need to enjoy every single moments we spent with them no matter how small it lasts until we see them again

“Goodbyes are not forever, are not the end. It simply means I’ll miss you until we meet again.”

La Therapie des mots

Une page blanche qu’avec le temps on apprend à remplir,

Comme l’armoire de l’âme qu’on remplit de souvenirs.

Je me suis surprise a ecrire non pas pour supporter la vie

Mais tout simplement parce que dans ma douleur mon inspiration a repris vie.

Trouver les mots pour faire sortir ce que l’on ressent,

Ecrire pour soulager l’âme de ce qu’on n’a pas pu oublier malgré le poids du temps.

Mes écrits n’ont jamais été à l’échelle de ceux de Grand Corps Malade

Néanmoins ils ont efficace a guérir mon âme malade.

Les mots ont su éteindre le volcan de ma colère;

Celui auquel n’ont jamais pu venir à bout tant de larmes au gout amère.

Amères car nées de tant et tant de regrets,

Amères car sur le chemin de la solitude j’ai perdu tous mes repères.

Rêver de liberté, d’amour, d’évasion,

Passer d’un monde gris à un monde en couleur, lever les yeux et dire au revoir à cette prison.

Vivre une vie où tout va bien dans le meilleur des mondes

Car j’ai appris qu’avec les mots on pouvait conquérir le monde.

J’ai trouvé en moi cette force pour cultiver ce don,

Juste pour faire la paix avec moi-même et non pas pour me faire un nom.

Avec une feuille et un stylo j’ai mis à nu mes faiblesses

J’ai compris qu’a cote de l’amour et de la gentillesse il peut parfois y avoir des mots qui blessent.

Même si aujourd’hui certaines blessures sont encore ouvertes

J’ai aussi appris à laisser la porte qui mène à des lendemains meilleurs entre-ouverte;

Car, si comme Grand Corps Malade « mon envie n’a pas maigrie »

C’est sans doute parce que l’espoir d’un jour rencontrer le bonheur la nourrit.

"C'est surtout dans l'ecriture qu'est la magie" - Nathalie Rheims