Juliet Lever“Welcome to The Dream Life Diary – Week 11”
DREAM
– Journal entry, Saturday 25 June 2016 –
It’s 9pm on Saturday evening and I am in Borne, Netherlands. I can hear my extended family downstairs cheering and speaking joyfully together in Dutch while they all watch the football together.
Today was my Oma’s (grandmother’s) 90th birthday.
I have travelled over 15,000 kilometers to be here to celebrate this day with her, and the rest of my family (my Opa, mother, and my uncles, aunties and cousins who all live in Holland). I have met my Dutch grandparents only 5 times in my life and yet they are so important to me. They are a part of me and my story.
It’s strange how sometimes distance makes us closer.
This morning I visited Oma with Mum to paint her nails and also did her make up for the party. I felt truly honoured that out of all of the children and grandchildren, I could connect with her and give this gesture to her in this way.
As I held her delicate aged hands and painted them in french polish she looked at me gratefully. I told her, “I hope that on my 90th birthday I have a granddaughter who paints my nails too. And I told her I loved her (in Dutch “ik hou van jou”).
She smiled at me and her eyes sparkled as they would have as a young girl.
She is a very misunderstood woman in our family.
Unpredictable and sometimes challenging but underneath it all I know that she and I are the same. I know this because if I had been born her, 90 years ago, into a family with 8 children and lived through the Second World war… had all the fear and uncertainty and family dynamics she grew up with, I would be exactly as she is.
So, I felt a deep sense of gratitude, connection and presence in that moment.
Because moments of realness are what make my soul feel alive.
And I always strive to create them.
That doesn’t always make me the easiest person to be around – for people who are used to avoiding themselves.
But it is because I am acutely aware that I have only got 60 years until my 90th birthday… that’s 21,900 days… and I intend to make every one of those 21,900 days as real as possible.
xx Breathe, Go Slowly and Know That You’re Loved xx
Juliet
LIFE
– Inspiration or Soul Nourishment –
The soul nourishment and inspiration this week is an 8 minute clip of Jay Leno interviewing the BEST 100 year old lady I have ever seen, she definitely has unlocked the secret to a happy long life! Please watch this. It will brighten your day I promise you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnViHbQgv34
DIARY
– A question for your diary/journalling practice –
QUESTION:
What is one way that you can you create a moment of REALNESS for yourself (or someone else) today?
* Please email me or comment below and let me know….
The Dream Life Diary is written by Juliet Lever, International Lifestyle Redesign Expert and Retreat Facilitator.
THE DREAM LIFE DIARY – a boost of three quick elements of inspiration for you every single Monday.
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DREAM – A real, raw, journal entry from my personal journey in the past week
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LIFE – Something in the world that has inspired me or nourished my soul this week
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DIARY – A question for you to reflect upon to boost your own diary/journalling practice
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