Yesterday I was rushed by an eighty-year-old dynamo with a rolling cart. Welcome to Greece!

After a day of traveling and transfers I was delighted to arrive in the northern Hellenic city of Thessaloniki. Greeted by family, lots of laughter and hours of talking in a language I only half remember… I. Am. Home.

There is something about coming back to my childhood roots that brings about a calm and knowing that, recently, I have been longing for. Not the comfort that comes from where I live, favorite belongings, or even friends I love…

Rather the peace and comfort that exists only in the moment.

As I sit in my Uncle and Aunt’s lovely garden, the honey bees buzz from fruit tree to rose bush and the birds are in chorus as my mother catches up in her native tongue with her brother that she hasn’t seen in years.

Much like when I was a child I am content in the background entertaining myself with observations, picking up half sentences and meanings, absorbed with the profound satisfaction that saturates the conversation and chiming in here and there for a laugh.

As we plan to explore in town, I anticipate the celebration to come this Sunday and am reminded of the joy found in Easter.

Of course, within the church tradition there are many sacred rituals, yet at the root of it all there is a personal message for us all…

Begin. Again.

Even while in the midst of family at its best, I am reminded that a “rebirth” – if you will — is made possible by a continual letting go of old ideas, heartbreak and disappointments.

In turn, if you refuse and persist in hanging onto the way you’ve always seen things, or, denying that you’ve been hurt and refusing to acknowledge that perhaps things haven’t gone as planned… life can often become stagnant, predictable and stale.

As a result you can sadly become attached to how you think things should be and become separate from the life you’ve been promised.

So, my Easter gift to you is a challenge… Regardless of your faith or religion, consider allowing this Sunday to represent your Do Over.

If you have tragedy in your past, consider, the beauty in beginning again is the wisdom to bring the best of what you’ve experienced and who you are to the next level.

And, if you cannot yet see the meaning in where you’re at, or where life has taken you, remember that understanding comes with time and is not a prerequisite for starting over.

Begin. Again. And, again. And, again. And, yes… again!

And, the best part? We get to do it together…

Thoughts? Questions? Inspirational Turnarounds? I’d love to hear.

Through it all remember that I am forever in your corner.

With love,
Thais

photo credit: wallace39 ” mud and glory ” via photopin cc