Time for questions...

Many things are happening lately around here in Amsterdam...
On Thursday a mini AI re-union took place, as the AI 06-07 has just finished their term... Brodie, Petroula, Laura, Petr, Arthur and myself, we got together around a good Belgian beer (actually it was much more than one;)) and had a good chat like in the good times:):) A moment to close a chapter and to look forward for next steps...Hope many more chances to connect like this are to come!















On Friday I had a Team Day with my current team from work... just realised one more time how lucky I am to have the chance to work with such amazing people... It was intense to learn about each-other, to understand how we can work better together and what is our legacy for this year. Mazzy was a star to help us pull this thing together!
Plus loads of fun during the beautiful trip with the boat on the canals in the fields somewhere close to Amsterdam...and the lovely dinner with many questions:)

On Saturday we watched the Gay Pride on the canals in the heart of Amsterdam...quite crazy:) I need to acknowledge some boats that just ruled the entire parade...like the one where they had an orchestra singing on the boat... Perfect weather, good wine and many friends to enjoy with...

















On Sunday we came back to the questions arena...at the barbecue organized by Anna, as she is a true Australian:) Very nice afternoon and evening...with very lively conversations about compromises and decisions in relationships, about the crazy things we have done, about sustainability (of course...), religion, ourselves and the power or the need to change who we are...

Love and transformation

I am reading now the book 'The Prophet', by Kahlil Gibran - it seems from the description on its cover - the most famous work of religious fiction of the twentieth century... I guess there are too wise thought for me to dare to comment upon, I just want to quote some of the things written on love in the first chapter...most beautiful...

"When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions might hurt you.
And when he speaks believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for you your growth so is for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.
Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He shifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become scared bread for God's sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears."