Wednesday 1 January 2014

ISN'T GRAY BEAUTIFUL?


At my age, it doesn't take much to get us content and satisfied with life. Yesterday morning, I was still feeling rather low. Just returned from a skiing trip, the cold was getting its grip on me, with the nose running and the throat rough from coughing. In addition, my left thigh was hurting awfully, after a bad fall with the skis. I could barely walk outside, limping along to do my last minute shopping for the festive evening. 

But things soon turned to the better. A nice piece of Italian sausage, savored together with a glass of tasty red wine as dinner and, later on, an even nicer piece of Camembert, made from Nordic goat milk, digested with a glass of champagne as companion, did a lot to get me in better mood. Then a phone call from a good friend from Finland really rose my spirits. After that, out to the balcony, to admire the glorious year-end fireworks that Stockholm and its inhabitants are always organizing for our benefit. Finally to bed for a good night's sleep.

When I woke up this morning, I felt greatly rejuvenated. The thigh muscles were stretching lazily, as if telling me that they now were ready to get working again and the coughing had subsided. Nor did the grayness of the morning prevent me from feeling great. Was there not a rosy lining on top of the sky? Isn't it nice to have  a winter without slush and ice on the sidewalks, letting us walk without the permanent fear of breaking our legs?

So out I went for the first promenade of the New Year. How nice it felt to be able to walk normally again! How fresh the world looked to me!

Dear readers, I bring you good tidings: even if getting on in years has its issues, us old-timers can have a good time yet as often as not. Life doesn't end until it all ends! In the mean-time, plenty of opportunity to enjoy ourselves!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!


9 comments:

Eva said...

Thanks a lot for writing so positively about the colour gray! The few but existing blue spots in the sky give me a promising hint about the future. Let's hope they forebode a year full of new and positive experiences! A good friend of mine wrote so nicely on her blog: "Don't forget that much of your destiny is in your own hands!" This will be my motto for the year 2014.
Kind regards
Eva

Anonymous said...

A wonderful plaidoyer for life. I couldn't agree more. Bitte, weitermachen. mit Lust am Leben und deinem Blogg.
Hans Christian

Anonymous said...

Dear Emil, thanks for your excellent photos and inspiring words throughout the past year. I wish all the very best for you during the present one. A big hug from Brazil!

Hannu

infissimo said...

Lieber Emil
wenn sich Muskelschmerzen und schlechte Laune so schnell nur mit einem guten Käse (sicherlich auch aus dem Norden) und einer besonderen Flasche Wein (ganz sicher nur aus dem sonnigen Süden) verjagen lassen -
ja dann kann ich Dir nur wünschen: Möge sich immer ein guter Tropenf in Deinem Haus finden lassen nebst einem gut sortierten Käsehandel und Bäcker in der Nähe! Dann wird auch im Jahr 2014 alles im Lot sei.
Alles Gute für das Neue Jahr und bitte, passe auf beim Skifahren, es könnte auch noch schlimmer kommen, wie wir gerade täglich in den Nachrichten von einem Formel 1 Rennfahrer hören ....

herzliche Grüsse und viel Glück bei Deinen neuen Plänen,
Klaus

Anonymous said...

Lovely thoughts, even for those of us not yet having retired.
Jan-Eric

Lena from Sweden said...

Gott nytt år Emil!

Heidi Harman said...

This is a lovely post, it made me so happy! You are inspiring Emil!

Unknown said...

Wendlingen 5 January 2014

Dear Emil,
I can easily share in your joy coherent with your recovering from thigh blessure and perceiving shades of grey as actually a variation of sunlight.

Born and bred in Aachen, Germany, I got used to this atmosphere of light.
Therefore I am able to sympathize with transformation of your perception.

Happy new year


Yours very truly

Andreas with greetungs from Carla and Simone

Anonymous said...

Grey is beautiful when seen through your eyes! Happy New Year!
Elizabeth