On Weekends, I Want to See the Sky
The weekend often feels like a refuge after a week, no matter how busy it has been. On weekends, I want to see the sky.
Hello, my friends from all corners of the world. Another Saturday has arrived. If you ever find yourself in my city, Serres, in Central Macedonia, you will see people filling the streets of the market district shortly after 11:30 in the morning.
Some are doing a little shopping, if they can afford it, while others walk around with a coffee in hand. The cafés are always full, as are the shops selling bougatsa* (you really should try it if you ever get the chance).
.png "The Rhythm of a Saturday in Serres")
You will see people gathered in the town square, couples walking together, young children riding bicycles, kicking footballs, playing with pigeons. Mothers stand in groups chatting, while fathers discuss their favourite football team or how exhausted they feel at the mere thought of having to go to the supermarket.
For me, weekends have also become connected with the sky. Whether there are clouds or not, whether it is raining or not, on weekends I want to see the sky. I want to tear down the walls of the house and let my gaze disappear into the infinite. And we humans forget to look up.
The natural posture of a tired body is bent, closed in on itself, making us look down.
But there is peace in the sky. It is no coincidence that we look upward when we pray. Or at least, that is what I like to believe. Greatness is found above. Cars pass beside me, horns sound in the distance. Two men are arguing because someone parked in a place that is blocking traffic.
A mother scolds her child for not holding her hand while crossing the street. A little farther away, a young woman is telling her friends that she has started a relationship with a man and is going to visit him at work. Her friends do not seem particularly happy about it.
*Bougatsa (pronounced boo-GAH-tsah) is a traditional and highly beloved Greek pastry that perfectly balances textures and flavors. It consists of multiple layers of crispy, golden, and buttered phyllo (paper-thin unleavened dough) wrapped around a rich filling.
If you read all the way to the end, thank you. We would genuinely love to hear your thoughts, memories, or feelings in the comments. And if you ever feel like writing to us more personally, you can always send us a letter at:
✉️ unplug.thrive@gmail.com
— Mary & Chris
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Beautiful blog
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment. We truly appreciate it.
DeletePlease read my post
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos!!! By the way, Rajani Rejana is a spammer, she doesn't read posts, but goes to blogs and makes the exact same two comments in order to draw people to her blog, where she makes money with the ads and hits. Just wanted to let you know.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing the sky. I love the colours, the clouds and every once in a while we can catch a beautiful rainbow!
I also love sunsets, my favourite time of day (dusk).
I think children and animals are amazing in that they surprise us sometimes with their intelligence and ability to see things that we sometimes either don't see, don't bother to look at or miss for whatever reason. Sometimes we can be lost in thought about something that is happening in our lives...the loss of someone, finances, whatever.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you very much for the update Linda. That is very kind of you. Sunset is my favorite time of day as well, because it creates a feeling that is neither melancholy nor joy it feels like complete harmony, at least to me. What you said is so true. Perhaps if we adults paid a little more attention to the everyday moments, we would notice so much more. But life is often structured in such a way that sometimes we are simply trying to get through the day and survive.
DeleteYour comment reminds me that, even when things are difficult, we don't give up easily. We keep trying to bring ourselves back to our natural state, to the way we are meant to be. I truly appreciate your message.
Sounds delightful being out and about seeing all the different people enjoying themselves. As to looking up, I do that every single morning when I'm out walking.:) Yes, I do think little Nikolas understands the greatness of the sky.
ReplyDeleteIt's so beautiful to look up at the sky, as if you're dreaming. I hope we never forget to do that. Sending many greetings from our whole family, and thank you for your lovely comment.
DeleteGood evening from Greece. What a beautiful perspective. You made me think that, just as a baby has the instinct to nurse, perhaps we too were created with an instinct to look toward our Creator. The grandeur of the horizon may, in some way, reflect the grandeur of life itself. Many greetings to your whole family. God bless.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping at my blog. I very much enjoyed this post. I think looking upward does make us think of our Creator and the greatness around us. It also helps us think beyond ourselves. I love the illustration of your little Nikolas too.
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed weekend.
Hello Mari. It is always a joy for us to discover new blogs and travel alongside their creators through the stories they share. We will be very happy to visit your online space again. You're absolutely right it encourages us to think beyond our everyday lives. It helps us step outside of ourselves and see the world from a wider perspective. Greetings from Nikolas, Maria, and me. We’ll be delighted to welcome you back anytime.
DeleteIch lese deinen Bericht und freue mich mit dir. Ich beobachte mit dir die Frauen und Kinder. Ich bin sicher, dass der kleine Nikolas die Weite des Himmels begreift. Kinder spüren so viel mehr als wir glauben.
ReplyDeleteIch selbst meide große Menschenmengen. Ich spüre ihre Resonanzen und das wird mir schnell zu viel. Ich bin gern allein in meinem Garten oder im Wald. Dort finde ich Frieden und Ruhe.
Viele Grüße Anette
Hello Anette. First of all, thank you sincerely for writing such a beautiful comment in your native language. I love seeing different cultures and languages meet in this little space. I believe the same thing. When I watch Nikolas, I often notice his eyes getting lost in the sky, especially when there are birds flying overhead or when the moon appears. Children seem to notice things that many of us have forgotten to see.
DeleteYour garden must be a very special place if it gives you such a sense of peace and safety. Thank you again for your wonderful comment. We are truly grateful, and we are very happy to have you as part of our little community. Warm greetings from Nikolas, Maria, and me. 😊
I have enjoyed reading this very much and looking at your photos too. Thank you for visiting my blog a little while ago, very much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteWe are the ones who should thank you for taking the time to interact with us and visit our space. We hope you find something beautiful to read and spend as much time as you like. You are always welcome here in our little space!!
DeleteI've always like the slower pace of weekends. I live quite close to the town square where the Saturday market takes place. I like to buy fresh produce and on the way back stop at the bakery :) I appreciate the sky just as much. The vastness, the openness and dreaming of what may be beyond...
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a truly beautiful area where you can find so many things to buy. What is this place called, by the way? We would love to explore it more. I hope there's plenty of space to just look up freely at the sky. How refreshing... Thank you so much for leaving us such a lovely comment!
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