Love never ends.

Facebook Postcard Swap, Sender: Edyta Kuciel
Sent on 28 June 2012, Sent from Medyka, Poland
Received on 18 July 2012, Traveled ~9,738 km in 21 days 

The happiness of finding someone whom you can call 'my soulmate' with 100% confidence is beyond words. I've never truly understood this word - soulmate. Until I met him. Despite not having much time to spent together in person, it feels like I've always known him and that we have always been together our entire lives. 

We call each other, 'my twin' - joking about the two of us being made out of the same mold by God. It's absolutely amazing how we are very much alike. Well, not in appearance but more with intangible traits. Despite being raised in different parts of the world, with different culture and environment, our chemistry is natural. We share so many similar traits, values, and perspectives about many important things. 

I used to have so much fear about what the future will bring. But now, with each of us imagining ourselves growing old together and still doing silly, crazy, and mischievous stuff even if we're already wearing false teeth and aching everywhere due to rheumatism, the future (and being old for that matter) and all its uncertainties isn't a scary thought anymore.

And with these re-assuring words from him, "I can picture the two of us going through life and its struggles hand in hand with confidence, because we know no matter what, we will always have each other" -- what can go wrong? Well of course, a lot can go wrong. But knowing that there is and there will always be that one person with who is very confident and determined that he wants to be there for you through thick and thin, you look at these things that can go wrong as opportunities for the two of you to grow stronger together.

Today, 'my twin' will meet my parents. It's gonna be a lovely moment for sure...

Can you find the heart on this postcard? I hope you do! If you want to see more hearts, go to Clytie's Guest Heart Thursday. Happy hearts viewing!

~maria
P.S. The title of this entry is a translation of the text on the postcard. :-)

Every morning is a gate to a new world.

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sender: Tuija Thil
Sent from Kuopio, Finland, Sent on 28 January 2013
Received on 6 February 2013, Traveled ~9,160 km in 10 days

"Every morning is a gate to a new world."

As mentioned in my post from yesterday, here is the postcard that came with the fairy stamp.

I've very much wanted to share this postcard when I received it, right exactly on my birth day. But, as you can see in my blog archive, there's no single entry for the month of February.

And nope, it wasn't because I'm swamped with work and clinical residency again. Well, I kinda am with the latter but ... February was my month. Pardon me for being a bit selfish with it. I turned 26 and having spent 25 years of my life (WHOAH! That's a quarter century all gone now!) ... I decided I need time for more serious introspection.

It was a struggle to get a 'me time'. I'm not sad nor sorry about it, don't get me wrong. The month started awesome. I was on a nature paradise with my boyfriend and his cheerful friends. After that, we got to enjoy our own lovely time for our first Heart's Day together. At the end of February, I was on the other side of the spectrum, struggling to hold together the crumbling pieces of a dream that my friends and I have been devoting so much time, effort, energy, and resources already for almost three years.

When I really thought a time alone with myself was what I needed to see a better picture of who I've been for the past 25 years and what I want to be now that I am starting another 25 years (well hopefully 75 more years, but let's talk about that later)...it dawned on me that a new experience each morning / day modifies your choices and very much affects your decision-making. You might be strongly inclined into something, then something goes out of control -- you don't complain but do your best to turn things still into something great. Then eventually, you'll never know that even though you've taken a detour, you're still on the right track into claiming that something that you really really wanted. Or perhaps, you get frustrated because you're on a completely different road now. But unknown to you is that you've been pushed into this other road so you can be a lot better than what you initially thought you can be.

I admit at 26, I am surprised to find I am still a bit confused sometimes of what I truly want. I am still a bit hesitant sometimes with a new morning, not knowing where my real space is under the sun in that new day. But then, I guess that's life. You just always give it your best shot despite the uncertainties and you discover a new perspective, a better sense of the world than what you've always thought it was.

Yesterday, I'm happy to discover a wonderful blog, Tina's PicStory. Apparently, the author and I shares the same name, she's Kristina, my complete first name is Maria Kristina. She uses the name Tina on her blog, which is how my mother Valentina is called by friends. This pretty flower postcard is my first submission to her Weekend Flowers linky.

Wishing us all a great Monday morning, a great start for a new week, and a wonderful week ahead!

~maria

Pink stamps from Finland.

I had second thoughts on whether to include that teardrop stamp on this entry for Viridian's Sunday Stamps cause the theme for this week is pink. The stamp appears purple. But believe me, it's vivid pink on the real stamp...

But as you can see, the vivid pink teardrop stamp is on this 'pink stamps' post despite being purple on its scanned appearance. 

Why? 

While looking for pink stamps at the back of the postcards I've received, I first found this teardrop stamp -- at the back of the birthday postcard from 2012 sent by my Finnish penpal, Tuija. Leafing a few pages more in my postcards album, I found the fairy wearing a pink dress, at the back of the 2013 birthday postcard, still from Tuija! This is delightful discovery for me. With these pink stamps, I think of my sweet friend Tuija whom I've grown to be very close in heart and thoughts even if we've never meet (yet). I love how we've cheered for each other through life's ups and downs. I am amazed of how the human soul and spirit can find confidence in friendship even with someone who's literally living on the other side of the globe.

Tuija celebrated her birthday just recently. As a late birthday gift, I want her to know how much I appreciate our friendship with this post. ♥

~ maria

P.S. The lovely postcard that came with the fairy stamp will be posted here tomorrow. ;-) See you!

Nurture Love

FI-1636201, Sender: Irjak
Sent from Joensuu, Finland, Sent on 3 January 2013
Received on 24 January 2013, Traveled 8,636 km in 21 days
Find out more about the postcard @ ilustris.co.uk

We've got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant.

You can't just accept it and leave it in the cupboard

or think it's going to get on by itself.

You've got to keep watering it.

You've got to really look after it

and nurture it.

- John Lennon

I am happy that I find time to update this page...

This post is a submission for Clytie's Guest Heart Thursday. 

~ maria