Purging & Acquisition: Last Lap

Getting back on the airplane to Frankfurt after our whirlwind tour of home we were exhausted and laden with luggage.  We came with 2 pieces (one suitcase held another suitcase inside) and left with 4 jumbo bags plus our abundantly plump carry-ons.

Leaving Canada with our stuff was easy, making our train connection in Frankfurt was going to be a synchronized weight lifting event.  Here is a tip:  When travelling by train in Europe, if the schedule states that it is leaving at 15:22 then it is leaving at 15:22. As well the train may only stop for about 3 or 4 minutes before it carries on out of the station.

I worked out with the girls who was going to get on first, who was going to be on the receiving end of me hoisting/pitching/dragging the bags into the train. Then we would negotiate where we would park the bags once on board.

Also, fun fact, I'm not a stranger to packing a well stocked bag and am usually in awe at those around me who get onto the train or check in at the airport with their Barbie size suitcase for a 3 week holiday.  Now I'm not opposed to the concept that you can always pick up what you need there, yeah that is never a problem.  The image of me and my girls with 4 large suitcases, 3 large carry-ons and purses, I believe made many an observer shake their head at us.

We were successful, we were exhausted, we were trying not to be lulled to sleep by the train as we had a station change in short order............Once back to our quaint little cottage, now feeling like it was bulging at the seams with our luggage our shoulders instantly relieved being back in our home.

Over the next few months we continued to cultivate our lives, our friendships, our connections and penchant to cover as much of Europe as possible, all the while knowing that our time in Deutschland and Nederland may be soon coming to an end.



Returning to Europe and back to the now familiar sights, sounds, languages and vibe.  We had been Blessed from the moment we first landed that we were welcomed and it felt like Home.  

Sure we hacked our way through the language, and that continued throughout our time, but very rarely did it feel "foreign" to be there, Germany and The Netherlands were exceptional Hosts.

Not all expats have this experience and I viewed this as a tremendous gift. 

The one thing that expats all have in common is having to say "good bye".

Groove or a Rut?

Are you in the Groove right now? You know, when you everything seems to be moving along in just the right rhythm. The times when you have everything in the radar and you know where you have to be, you know what you have to do, and you know how to get there. Things get done, you have the energy, and you have the motion.

Or are you in a Rut? When the flow is just not smooth, the rhythm is choppy and the beat is just not moving you. These are the times when you need everything in the radar to either slow down or speed up but the energy just isn’t there to precipitate that change. Things aren’t getting done, your energy is zapped, and you either feel you are at a standstill or a on a treadmill (moving but really not going anywhere).

Sir Isaac Newton stated, “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” And that is illustrated in the Yin Yang symbol from the Chinese as these elements exist in all things.
Yin elements are feminine; they are dark, introspective, muted and soft; while Yang elements are big, bold, busy, masculine, extroverted and bright. The symbolism and meaning of this is that the universe requires the duality of all things in order to exist. We would not know what light is if we did not have dark; hence we wouldn’t know what a groove was if we didn’t have a rut!

My interpretation of Sir Isaac Newton’s first two Laws of Motion is that if you are at a standstill or are moving at a constant speed that only an external force will cause that to change and the change will only be as good as the force itself.

Therefore, if you are in a groove and want to keep that humming, you need to continue to attract the things into your life to perpetuate that groove; and if you want to boost it you’ll need to attract those vibes as well.

The tricky one is the rut. Once entrenched in a rut it can become dangerously close to resembling a hole if we let it. And we can become so introspective and enmeshed in that feeling that we forget what its like to groove in the light. Moving out of a rut requires strength and motivation far greater than that required to maintain a groove.

If you are in a rut right now, put your order out there that you are done with being stuck and need a push. You don’t have to know what kind of push you need or who you need to answer your call; recall the rhythm of your groove, and keep listening for the beat.

If you are Groovin’ right now, feel that rhythm, express your gratitude, be golden! And listen for someone calling out for your help to get them out of a rut.

With Grateful Ch’i