sunbursts and marble halls

Saturday, January 16, 2016

These photos were taken in Anzac Square on Wednesday - a lovely day in which my sister and I sipped sparkling water and ate chocolate covered almonds, while pondering the trials in life and how we have managed to overcome them.
I don't have a lot to say today. But here is a snippet of what I wrote down on a loose piece of paper this afternoon:

"I hope my life is full of magical moments. I hope that one day I will be sitting in the cosy living room of my fifty year old home, next to the person I've shared those fifty years with. We are smiling at each other, his reading glasses are askew on the end of his nose as he balances his fantasy novel on his knee. The same series he's loved ever since we met, I don't particularly like it, I just love the way he tells it to me. Rain is falling softly outside, the drops making delicate, slow tracks down the window pane.
We smile at each other, then gaze at the floating embers that hover above the crackling fire. His hand envelopes mine, and we sit in silence, communicating like we always have, through knowing each other the way only kindred spirits do. Elvis Presley's rendition of "Can't Help Falling in Love" plays in the background, on the record player we thrifted in New York when were on our honeymoon, so long ago. It stutters as it hits the numerous scratches and dents, but we smile at each other regardless, because it is our song.
Suddenly, a little girl with two ponytails bobbing at the top of her head skips into the room with three little boys trailing behind. They're giggling gleefully as they sit down in front of the fire and play with the toys in the basket above the bookshelf. These are our grandchildren, and the little girl, gazes up at me with her fierce blue eyes and says sheepishly, "Nana, can you tell me your love story again? Can Grandpa do the voices?". Suddenly, all the tiny ears in the room perk up (including little Bobby, the dog), as the children anticipate the retelling of their favourite story."

My 2016

Wednesday, January 06, 2016

I'm all about constant self-improvement and I'm usually the first one to shut down the idea of "New Year's Resolutions" in a group discussion because they have quite the reputation to be synonymous to "January Resolutions... never mind the 11 months after", but lately I've been giving it some thought and it's just like a lot of things in life; it all depends on your perspective and in what way you go about trying to achieve it. 
The idea of a New Year is always very exciting to me - albeit every single New Years Eve I have been in bed with a book -  because for me it represents new beginnings, a hope for new and exciting things and a possible "new leaf", if you will. Looking back on 2015, I can't help but smile because it was such a massive year for me. I changed and grew into myself so much and I've never felt so "Maria" before. This time last year I was frantically trying to decide whether I should move out or not and the simple "yes, I think I will" when I received my acceptance letter to the University of Queensland sparked a whole chain of events in my life that have brought me here, to Brisbane, in which I am surrounded by some of the most fantastic people I've ever met. 

I think every year you change, grow and adapt without even realising it, it all happens right under your nose. It's not until you wake up one morning and realise, "Wow. I can't believe I got through that... I never thought that was possible". The future scares me very much, because I like to know things, and the future is so unknown and mysterious and exciting that there's only so much we can control. So, without further ado I would like to list ten things I would like to do in 2016:

1. Get my driver's license! *broom broom*
2. Read classic literature more often, this will motivate me to write frequently, and better.  
3. Establish a responsible financial position. After all, I am an adult now, and the sooner one can control their doll in a responsible fashion, the better!
4. Go on adventures more! Say yes to spontaneous outings! Travel outside the QLD border for the first time! (I'm coming for you in March, Sydney!)
5. Continue to love deeply, wholly and selflessly. 
6. Look at the big picture, but also take into account the importance of doing one's best every day. 
7. ESTABLISH A SOMEWHAT NORMAL SLEEPING PATTERN, for the love of peace!
8. Make a conscious effort to discuss people in a respectful, kind manner.
9. Continue to follow and trust my gut feeling. 
10. Improve my spiritual life, and have a little more faith. 

Happy New Year, friends. What are you going to do in 2016?