Sometimes. But only sometimes. Don’t let them fool you with words of self-importance that only feed your ego. Because loneliness can be indeed a blessing but only if you have someone waiting for you at home.
(photograph source: Flickr)
portugal
All posts tagged portugal
Sit down and enjoy the view. Some days are better when quiet. And we just mingle with what is presented in front of our eyes. Because if we pay attention we will be able to see the greatest landscape. Right in front of us. Vibrating with emotion and sparkling with inspiration. Giving all we need to become better versions of ourselves. And to think, but most important acknowledge, that all we need to do is sit and, truly, intensively, appreciate the view.
[Fight To Become Art @ Flickr.]
Sometimes we all need a little princess to lead our way
And her dreams will become ours
And we will laugh to the same silly things
And fall asleep at the same time
Because where she leads is where we will be.
Because the Sea is yours. You will never be able to escape it. ‘Cos it will swallow you. Completely. And you’ll feel fulfilled. And happiness will not be just a thing from the past. It’s here. It’s now. Take it. The wave will take you far away from all your fears. And you will dive. Hopefulness in your wide-eyed face. And it’s finally there. The ocean floor bellow your feet. Inviting you to bury your weak cold body deeply inside its dark sand.
But then the Sun will touch the water and just like the ancient Gods it will warm the cold-hearted Sea. You’ll feel it in your skin. And the Sun will get swallowed too. Fizzy. And you’ll hear it in the wind. And then you’ll know. It’s time for you to come home. Victorious. And immense. There is no difference between your will and His. Because you are. The Sea. And all its waves will bounce in the memory of you tonight. You will ear them deep in the night. And you’ll fall asleep knowing tomorrow you’ll have to win it all once again. And so you rest. Once again.
Ericeira, Portugal
Deep and pure our hearts align
Then I’m free, I’m free of mind
When I let loose the need to know
Then we’re both free, We’re free to go
When I lose a certain claim
The tries to know and needs to blame
Whatever river runs aground
It turns my head and washes down
The face of god who stands above
Pouring over hope and love
That all of might and life and limb
Could turn again and love again
When I refuse the need to know
Then we’re both free, free to go.
Falling Free, a song by Madonna and written by herself, Laurie Mayer, William Orbit and Joe Henry, from the MDNA album.
José e Pilar Mural, Lisbon
Pilar Del Rio, married José Saramago in her late thirties. The man who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1998 (among many others) was in his mid sixties and from the start it was seen as a controversial choice in the eyes of the media. For many she was the reason he left Portugal and moved to Spain. For many she was controlling his career choices.
And yet many knew nothing about the woman who was not only José’s strongest touchstone but also a strong woman who always stood beside him. Not one step behind nor further. Just the way all kinds of relationships should be. And yet people demonized her. Because she was a strong woman who loved a strong man. Let there be no doubt, Pilar is an inspiration to all human beings and that becomes obvious in last year’s documentary José E Pilar:
My first contact with Saramago took place in 1997 in an inauguration of a public library, I wasn’t aware of the genius I had in front of me. But the next year, inspired by a teacher recommendation, I read Blindness. Truly one of the best romances I’ve ever read. Only two weeks later after I finished the book Saramago won the Nobel Prize. And it only helped me getting totally hooked. I read and kept reading his romances till today. He is my favorite writer by far and has inspired me to write all the things I cannot express in any other way. For me Pilar was just a controversial person then. I didn’t have an opinion about her before, even with all the criticism from the portuguese public .
Yesterday I fell in love with her once again after watching the unique long version of the mentioned José E Pilar. She is the woman that truly understood the man and stood beside him with commitment and love. Maybe because of the couple’s differences people’s opinions were filled of incomprehensible fear. Never realizing how inspiring they are to, and I’m just going to say it, Humanity. Because that is a rare connection between two human beings. And small people tend to thrive on others’ demise in an attempt to make themselves bigger. And with their small minds they lose at their own game without learning how to love and respect each other also without ever becoming less of what they are and deserve. And that is what Pilar taught me.
And that is also one of the greatest lessons one can learn. When you are faithful to yourself and to the ones you love you can never lose.
Saramago and Pilar
P.S. – I was fortunate enough to have a reply from Pilar yesterday on Twitter after thanking her about the video she made as an introduction to the long version screening of José E Pilar. I felt truly touched by it.
Twitter conversation
PPS – I’d like to thank Nuno for the extra help while writing this article but also for being part of this journey 
Sand’s Footmarks #ocean #beach #praia #Portugal (Taken with Instagram at Praia de Sto. Antonio)
Fachada Velha (Taken with Instagram at Setubal)
How does it feel to be loved by strangers?
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)
O palácio da Pena é um dos ex-líbris da região de Lisboa. Situado no cimo da serra de Sintra, foi mandado construir pelo Rei consorte D. Fernando II de Saxe Coburgo Gotha. Em 1839, as ruínas de um antigo convento e a zona envolvente maravilharam o monarca, que aí mandou construir a sua residência de Verão. Inspirado na arquitectura de outros castelos europeus, e com uma decoração exótica e extremamente detalhista, o Palácio Nacional da Pena é o mais completo exemplar do Romantismo português.
