My Inspiration

As Jared works to get through this tough spot in his illness, as the winter drags on and hope of ever seeing the sun gets slim, as Daphne grows more and becomes more independent, as the weddings in the winter are few and far between, as Daphne gets cranky because of teething, as I get more and more behind on my college assignments that require extensive thought, as the house never gets clean, and as life is throwing me through a bit of a ringer right now, I am finding that I need to draw on some inspiration to remember who I am and where I am going.

Thankfully, I do have that inspiration stored like a glowing candle deep inside whose flame can never be extinguished.

The flame was lit during the 9 months that I spent in Greece.

Before I went to Greece, I would say that I was almost naive. I had graduated from Delphi, which had also totally turned my life around. It put me in a position where I knew who I was and what I wanted. I also had gained the ability to learn anything, research anything and accomplish what I needed to accomplish. It put me in the perfect position for my next step in life. That step was my time in Greece.

The 9 months I spent on Paros have changed me forever, in so many ways, and I don't even think that I can begin to explain. Firstly, I never thought that I would actually manage to go. I wasn't sure that I was going to afford it, and when I first got on the plane, it was very much so in a make-it-go-right kind of way. I had had a fever for 5 days before getting on the plane, and it was still 103 when I checked before leaving the house (sorry other people on the plane, I HAD to go). I also had 2 college midterms that needed to be done. One of them was in math, and I was sure that I was going to fail. In fact, I ended up not failing at all, I got an A in the class, but the final was done on a plane with a 103 fever. I recall writing down answers that just came into my head with no logic behind them. I must have been more lucid than I thought I was.

You would have thought that the ferry strike that ensued when I got to Athens would have been enough to send me home. I was trapped alone on the mainland with no one to talk to for 3 days with no idea of when it might end. It wasn't. I endured, and I fell in love.

Over the past several weeks, I have been having flash-backs of various things in Greece. They have put me in a place of calmness and peace where I understand where I have been so that I can drawn on my experience to create a more beautiful future.

The memories I have are of the culture, and not necessarily of the fun that I had. I don't think of the time I spent with friends in a bar unless it is the morning coffee I used to have with my photo teacher and my fellow photo students. I don't think of the time I spent four-wheeling around the island unless it was the times I got off the ATV to photograph or explore. I don't think of the trips to the beach to tan unless it was a remote beach and I had my camera with me. I thank myself now for limiting the times that I would not remember, and expanding on the ones that I do remember.

Here are some examples of things that I think about that keep me inspired.

Sitting in Syntagma Square during the ferry strike with my luggage and nowhere to go looking at the orange trees in bloom and realizing what a fabulous culture I have just eaten.

Eating kluloria (sesame rings) for the first time in the bakery. Any trip to the bakery is memorable.

The front of the school, which is made of all marble, and the funny Greek locks that require 2 clicks to ensure that they are locked.

The flooding of the streets after a heavy rain. The streets become a river, and you have to walk up to your thighs in water in some places-what fun.

The time I danced in the rain in St. Peter's square 5 months pregnant.

The love affair I had with a donkey. This is an excerpt about it that I wrote at the time "And I must admit that I have a new love. I have discovered a donkey here that is just wonderful. Every day he is tethered somewhere new around the city I am in, and I make it a point to seek him out. It's actually a fun little game and I have now taken his portrait. I will bring it home for everyone to see. He seems so lonely until I come and sneek him some barley. It's kind of funny to see a donkey tethered in the middle of the city, but because donkeys are my absolute favorite animals ever, it's just good for me."

Learning to make basil pasta with eggplant and zucchini. It was my favorite dish to make while I was there, and I have not been able to recreate it since I came home. It just tastes different.

The bougatsas that I ate religiously. Perhaps I will get a recipe and make some. Maybe I will bring some to my friend's naming ceremony tomorrow.

Being able to pick herbs for dinner right off the hillside. I love this feature. I still have some bay leaves from my last trip, and I use them only when I make a Greek dish. When I run out, I will need to return for more.

Eating lunch with a friend in Pistoia in front of a Renaissance church.

Eating a souvlaki from Zorbas.

The way the bells ring from the church during Good Friday in mourning of the death of Christ.

The wind storms that blow so hard that you can't walk into them with all your strength.

Fisherman beating their fresh-caught octopus on the rocks to keep it tender.

Skinny dipping in the Aegean.

Collecting sea salt from the rocks on the north side of the island.

The tunes the ferries make when they are opening the door.

Need I go on? There are so many memories. They keep me happy and help me understand the ways I have changed since going to Greece. I like the person I have become.