After a sleepless night, which lead to a few missed alarm calls, I found myself running late for yoga yesterday afternoon and panicking that I'd end up crammed in a tight corner by the door, getting cold from the draught, I ended up walking at great pace through the rain, between train rides, attempting to make it to class on time. Yet, by the time I finally did arrive, out of breath and entirely flustered, incredibly, I was somehow early, which then only served to make me annoyed for having stressed myself out rushing in the first place!
Alas, I caught my breath and stripped off my layers and as I did so, I looked up to see the most glorious of sights; the first few flakes of winter's snow, falling gracefully from the sky and landing softly on the courtyard ground outside.
Now, admittedly, I've been a complete Grinch since I got back from France and the bitterness of Berlin's winter was certainly breaking my spirit rather brutally for a while, but seeing those little flecks of white happily dancing outside the window, set off a little spark of holiday spirit in my icy cold heart. It really did. I even almost wept a little. Although, let's face it, I think everything makes me cry these days.
I haven't bought Christmas cards or presents for a few years now, as I'm completely over the commercialism of Christmas, against peer pressured consumerism and yes, probably a bit of a Grinch, but I did find some very festive German Christmas cards the other day, so, clearly in a good mood, I bought a few (attempting not to wince at the ridiculousness of how much they cost) and am going to actually make the effort to send them out to a special few people.
In fact, if it didn't cost so ruddy much, I admittedly would buy more cards, simply because, in truth, there is a rather large list of people who really are special to me and who I feel I owe a great thanks to. Over the past eighteen months, there have been so many people who have gone out of their way to help me and I really would not have made it through, what has ended up being, the toughest time of my life...but that's another post entirely.
For now, I am simply happy that I am starting to feel the teeny tiny tingle of what could end up being my festive cheer!
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