new things for new years

Man! I almost lost my blog. But it's still alive. And you will still hear from me. I want to finish this year in a low-key contemplative way, considering what I can be grateful for, where I'm going, trying to know God more. OK, you have a great time for the holidays. Now I just want to post something that I have posted more than a year ago. It's probably my favourite post.

"We are driving so slow if you can call that driving. Moving with the jeep on this mountain road if you can call it a road. It is so lovely here, forest, green meadows...we stop and pick apples from the trees by the road. It is the eastern part of the country and we left the near by village to go and meet my wife's grandfather who lives in a small house in the mountain. You can get there only with a jeep, and in winter when the snow falls you just can not get there. He lives alone in a primitive house, he is 87 years old and has not seen my wife at least for few years. I was really excited and really longed to meet him and it was really an emotional meeting. We found him in the house with earthen floor and a stove...very old. He was really glad that we came...and immediately brought what he has to offer, fresh plums, pears...and some honey. He goes, "Take the spoon and eat! You are not eating!" I liked when he shared some old sayings and what I would call people wisdom and we had a great laugh. During the world war 2 he has been arrested by the germans and has spent 6 months in prison in Vienna. Basically has been through many things. We spent maybe an hour with him and it was time to go. He loaded our car with apples, pears, plums...macedonians, especially the ones that live in the country, they love to give. When we said good bye our hearts broke. Why? I dont know. Maybe because we might never see him again. Maybe because we felt sorry for him. Maybe because recently because of high blood pressure he faints...and he is alone there. We go back to our own world full of things, voices, duties, programmes, tv's, computers, clothes, cars, shops...and he stays there in his simple world. Alone. Waking up alone, going to bed alone. But perphaps we will never understand that he does not need our things and voices. He has something that we don't. It seems like your soul does not get so dirty in places like that...and you have less voices in your head. After we came back, every evening my wife asks me, "Do you think that grandpa sleeps now?" I think so...Sleep well grandpa. I hope one day you wake up in the light."