Blossoming days

©MCD_Delphi

Weekend escapes are reviving mainly because they offer the much-needed getaway from our routine. Regardless of whether it’s boring or not, we all need some time away from what we usually do. If only, to change our perspective on life by merely altering the scenery around us and opening our eyes to something new.

Going to places abundant with myths and history is rejuvenating in more ways than the obvious.

And as spring approaches, nature is seemingly beautifying itself to welcome such excursions.

One of the most beautiful images of this time, is a cherry blossom in bloom.

It is so rare – the full bloom may only last a week – and short-lived (have a lifespan of 30-40 years) emphasising that pretty things should be enjoyed as long as they last, almost urging you to live the moment.

In Japanese folklore, cherry blossoms – sakura – represent the impermanent nature of life. They symbolise both birth and death, beauty and violence, as they historically signified the short but colourful life of the samurai.

Cherry blossoms are a symbolic flower of the spring, a time of renewal, and the fleeting nature of life.

Whatever they are believed to symbolise or represent, they are a majestic sight, reminding us that there is beauty everywhere, and can be enjoyed no matter how little it lasts. As long as you have the will and open-mindedness to do so.

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Finding ghosts

There is a saying in Asia that if you see a person who looks remarkably like someone you know then it is likely it is his/her double or “mythical twin”. Supposedly it is linked to a belief that when people were created they were split in half and that is why you sometimes find look-alikes. However, the feeling that overwhelms you when you meet someone who looks almost astoundingly like someone you know, knew, and loved, cannot be described. Even if that person resembles a four-legged family member. It is like running into a tangible ghost.

Emotions flood into your veins, causing an adrenaline surge, cold sweat to trickle down your spine and an unfounded hope that it is truly the person you thought you saw. It is a surge of feelings alternating in seconds and bringing back memories, moments that were and can no longer be. As if you are given a second chance to obtain another memory. But you know it will never be the same. A copy is never as good as the original. Nonetheless you still want to believe that it is almost the same. That for a while you were granted some extra time with someone who meant so much but left too soon.

It is similar to that feeling that surrounds you when you visit a place that held memories and experiences you created with someone you loved but is no longer at your side. It is a sweet melancholy that acts like an anchor on your mood, bringing you down. Because some things cannot be forgotten or replaced. No matter how much you try to create new images, the moments in life that were so deeply and profoundly engraved in your soul can never be overwritten.