coming up happy?

Do you ever see graffiti written on a highway overpass, or scrawled on a high rock outcropping somewhere and think it was written to you? No? Huh. On Tuesday, after dropping dad and stepmum off at their rental car, I saw ‘Nina, I love you!’ scrawled, large and unglamourously on an autobahn traffic sign. Ok, immediately I knew it was not the work of great guy, if only for the obvious fact that he would have made sure it was perfectly spaced and even and clean looking. But, for a moment I decided that it was for me, from him, and I thought…well, how nice is that? And, it made me happy.

Do you ever get inspired by the flowers that burst out of the garden dirt, when you can’t quite tell it’s spring yet? I do. Especially this spring. These amazing creations are a wonderful role model for perseverance, energy, and strength, growing and growing and bursting open with colour…even when it’s freezing outside (well, not technically freezing, just bloody cold). Now, the tulips are tall, huge, rising higher and higher, and I don’t think they’ll stop. The sky is the limit…way to go you guys! I want to come to! They are power flowers.

Do you ever sit across from someone in a train (as I am doing while I write this) or a bus and totally wonder who this stranger is? My lady here is slim, maybe 49 (I’m horrible at guessing age), with dowdy, shoulder-length, mousy brown hair. She wears no jewellery, but has a scarf tied loosely around her neck, and she clutches her black, leather handbag as if it’s filled with diamonds or maybe wads and wads of cash. I want to know what’s in there. Should I ask why she’s holding on to it so tightly? (On second thought, maybe the weird woman constantly looking at her while typing away on her laptop is freaking her out). Who is she? Where is she going…on a much needed, long weekend getaway or just home? Does she love someone? And does he/she love her in return (that’s the tricky part, in my experience, to love someone who also loves you)? Is she happy? Should I ask her?

This quote makes me happy:

„When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote ‚happy‘. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them they didn’t understand life.“ – John Lennon

Great guy and I are on our way to glorious sunshine, snowy capped mountains and my dad. We are meeting him in Salzburg and then spending 4 days in Berchtesgaden, where he was born. I am ridiculously excited about this weekend away with great guy. He has been grumbling and moaning all week about how far the train ride is (7 hours) and yet the entire trip so far he has been so silly and sweet and lovely. Happy? Happy.