It’s Sunday morning. I’m on a short business trip to Germany. I’m connecting via Istanbul. It’s about 5.30 am local time when we land. It’s just 1 degree Celsius outside.
We get off the plane and descend onto the bus, and I feel a cold, so unfamiliar yet familiar…it’s been a while since I’ve taken in the cool, fresh air that is a European winter.
As I marvel at the white, grey snowy sludge around me, my mind wanders. It’s early morning, I’m awake, not as yet, so I’ll be in search of a good cuppa as soon as we get off the bus.
But alas, the coffee has to wait…I discover my connection to my final destination had been cancelled.
After figuring out, I’ll be spending the better part of my day, in Istanbul, after a short refresh, I head to the first coffee counter.
For today, just for today, I request a Turkish coffee, and with sugar, I figure my senses could treat themselves to an early morning sweet indulgence.
It’s amazing, just the right balance of coffee, and sweet seduction my brain needs this morning.
After a while, I resort to my old habits, it’s around 7am, and I need another shot of caffeine. This time, plain old, black, no fuss, coffee…mmm, beautiful 😍
If anyone out there has been to Istanbul, you’ll agree it’s a culinary dream, so despite my gluten and lactose free choices these days, there’s plenty to tantalize these taste buds. And I make new friends too, and definitely fans of pralenepoetry.
It was a long day in the airport, I was tired, I resorted to some work to keep my brain fresh. I walked around, and stretched my legs as far as I could.
Sometime, in the late afternoon, I make my way to Stuttgart. The hotel is crowded and I wonder what is happening. The hotel is hosting refugees from Ukraine.
So here it is, I was thinking I was tired. When I looked into their faces, I really rethought my tiredness.
It’s all a matter of perspective.
I had no idea what these men, women, and children had just endured. No clue what it must have been like to leave their home, all they knew and loved under those circumstances… that we only see on our television sets at home.
I went to bed with a soft heart, grateful for family, for friends, for new friends I had just met this day.
I keep all these folks I just saw today in the highest regard, knowing that here, in Stuttgart, they will find a new home, a new tomorrow ❤️
I wish you all an awesome week, poetic musings will follow later this week sometime.
❤️
Pralene