TRAVELS AND TREASURES 3

MY STORY:

Having understood and realized,

through my first experience, 

on my own creating my life journey, all by my own choosing,

that pretending to be someone that is not me,

whether that would make me fit in more or not,

just does not work;

What happens is that we end up betraying both ourselves and 

everybody else we connect with.

Naturally, I faced my first Saturn Return at the same time,

when the reality I had created crumbled and fell apart, 

because of its week and unstable, misaligned foundation, 

that was invented by other beings' beliefs and definitions that I stole.

Astrologically Saturn Returns every 28 - 30 year cycles, 

to help us look at ourselves and decide from inside out,

who we desire and prefer to be and also to show us

what our choices have created for us to perceive so far, 
from the belief systems

that we have chosen to live by that define us and our world …

lies or not, they still define the way we perceive our worlds.

This first return was harsh and cruel,

because my dream fantasy of love and family creation had crumbled.

My Ego was definitely challenged to the core and 
I had no foundation but to take one step at a time ...

Nothing that I had imagined to be "the right way to live"

matched what happened and how I felt.

I was at loss with myself and in pain and judgement, for my failure.

All that I had wanted to prove to myself was broken into pieces.
The mask of not showing my state of inner being was solid ...

as I found myself being a single mother with a lot of responsibilities,

my creation hit me like a lightning rod from the skies ...

I stopped being me and became a mom and a dad, all in one,

in everyday life, providing for and caring for the two 

I had brought to this world.

Challenges, were my everyday life,

sometimes I did good and sometimes not so good,

at times I was so overwhelmed i just wanted to leave and go …

but my young ones kept me organized and focused on 

what I needed to do to provide for them to the best of my ability.

I felt judged and criticized and hardly ever liked 

by the family and friends that I had had around me so far, so 

I started creating new extended families once again.

People supporting and helping me in my creation of a new way of life.

By the end of the Saturn Return I was exhausted to the core

I felt I had to get away from it all and just be,
 to be able to have the strength to continue my life 

and the responsibilities I had chosen,

so Life brought me gifts of supplies, out of the blue,

and I had three months of free time by myself.

My first flight ever took form …

I had no idea how to do what i was about to do, but 

sometimes ignorance is bliss, you just go.

My backpack goal was Greece and the Islands …

Half way down to Greece, at an airport, 

I met a heavenly earth angel sent to help and assist, 
so I would be safe probably,

while learning how to take care of myself in new foreign lands again.

Slightly more advanced than moving to Sweden, 
the way I perceived it ...

This earth angel had been in Greece many times sailing

and she asked me if I wanted to join her on her travels,

 before she continued to Italy.

Said and done, I was provided the help I needed,

 while I was learning my ways and the cultural codes of Greece.

My earthy angel was Danish, knew German and English and Italian,

I knew Swedish, Finnish and a little(!) English,

good outcome … multi lingual package … can't go wrong.

I would have been so lost if I had not met her,

I can't even imagine where I would have ended up 

had she not been around sharing her experiences with me (laughing),

Now, all went plain sailing, 
effortless and swift travels and adventures,

while I was learning fast by watching and listening,

because I knew she was leaving for Italy in a month

and I would be on my own.

We left Athens after 5 days to travel between the Islands.

My new found friend made the choices and I chose to follow …

she had a plan, to go where she had never been, I did not.

My life was so free and exciting just exploring the unknown

and just living day by day, careless of tomorrow,

meeting lots of new people, locals and backpackers,

people providing shelter and food and story tellers 

sharing their adventures.

I learned about the trusting hospitality that exists in other places

on Earth, the Love and the shelters that people provided for us,

total strangers to them, and cared for and made us feel safe.

I was in Heaven on Earth.

From Ikaria,  our first landing place after Athens, 

where we stayed for three weeks, we continued to Samos, 

a lush green Island close to Turkey.

After a few days together exploring the west coast of the Island,

we parted ways and I was on my own.

I had to start choosing for myself,

 nervous yes!! but excited at the same time, very empowering. 

I took the bus and travelled through the mountains 

across the Island to its main city(town) … Samos.

I was on an adventure and I designed it to the best of my ability;

Did I have fun? Yes!! was I challenged? ooh Yes!!

I met new people and discovered the advantage of traveling 

without company, people approaching you in a different way,

and you get to share their stories with them for one day or two.

Then all parities move on without attachment ...

Dangerous, was not in my vocabulary,

 just fun and exciting, learning new things.

One day, after a few weeks on my own, I met a local guy.

I was invited to a private Greek family dinner.

Love at first sight with the family, without understanding the language.

I was invited to stay in their home!

So I went to pick up my backpack and moved in ...

My first personal exploration of the inside of family life 

of a different culture other than Scandinavian,

where I had to feel my way through all their everyday life chores, 

because we had no common verbal language.

To make a long story short,

I was more or less adopted into the family and 

as a daughter, I had to follow the rules of the Greek culture,

and how they perceived their women to be and behave.

I did not get that at first, so I had to learn it the "local" way.

All the vendors, and restaurants on our street 

accepted me as the new Papakosmas' daughter and 

expected me to stay and be part of their everyday life for ever.

I learned the language with determination day by day,

so I could learn about the real life that women experienced,

from the women themselves …

Overwhelming at times, my brain was working overtime 24/7 so 

I strayed off as a tourist from time to time, 

to the other side of the Island to get a break, and to meet other people,

but before I returned the family knew every step I had taken.

Had I communicated with men, I got the silent treatment.

I found myself being boxed in, into a rule system of Greek women,

and punished by women, with their silent treatment,

if I stepped outside their box of confinement.

The men treated me as invisible, for a length of time, to make their point.

I learned fast what way was not accepted in my behavior.
I found myself boxed in again, 
just a different box, different definitions.

I learned from Mamas about Greek food and 

their cooking and their use of olive oil by the gallon every day,

the soul they give to every aspect 

and into every step of their cooking.

Their produce and how to pick the best of the best,

while bargaining away ...

Late at night we went out to eat and drink the traditional

foods. drinks of the Island and to dance and listen to music, opppaaa …

and to gossip about everybody on the streets. 

Priceless experiences, that you don't have if you are regular tourist.

I was invited into the Greek Orthodox Church and blessed;

I travelled daily with one of their sons, my brother, Themos, 

across the Island on his Scooter and had the privilege to 

experience local secrets of the Island,

stories that people shared because they knew him,
 Priceless Treasures. 

Time had come for me to return to my other life 

and leave Greece behind …

tears running down everyone's cheeks … 
but I was expected to return to stay,
 so everybody celebrated that at the same time.

So I created a plan to go back very soon,

but "that soon" has not arrived yet … Life has its own plans ...

I was on my way the next year,

 but followed my Highest Inspiration and ended up on a

totally new adventure in different countries to be explored.

My Greatest Treasure is that  ...

Every time I eat Greek food I get to travel and 

experience with all my senses

the time i spent in Greece all over again …

all the people, the smells, the goats, the huge beef tomatoes,

 the water melons, the breads, the stories, the smiles, the oppaaas etc

Evolution has changed everything 
for better, sometimes for worse, before it gets better,

but my experiences are vibrantly alive and juicy and 
full of the colors, and sounds, and memories,
when ever I choose to return.

The people I met and the family that I stayed with are in my heart,

even if they have left this Earth plane, they stay with me. 

to be continued …

with Love and Peace in Joy,

Morayah

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