I loved seeing you naked…

It was a great sight, it really was. Naked people tend to be truly fascinating. Somewhat difficult to take your eyes off somehow. I mean the ones that show up literally on your doorstep with no clothes on are just…such nice surprises, don’t you think? Like Christmas…with a naughty twist…

I’m sitting next to the Thames, on a park bench, in the dark, writing. The lights are shining beautifully on Westminster and couples on other benches are curled up, talking to one another. I am waiting for a friend to meet me across the bridge at Gordon’s – the coziest wine bar I have ever seen. I just finished a salsa class and I have spent all day meeting people for coffees. It’s beautiful isn’t it? That people actually show up to see you. That they care so much to enjoy your company that they go out of their way to meet you. Sometimes to help you, other times to get helped by you, but often just to listen to your words, see your smile and get a hug.

The wind is playing gently with my hair, couples are walking by, giggling. A group of tourists is taking photos of Big Ben. The fall is slowly moving in. There’s beauty everywhere. In New York, London, LA, Paris…the Swedish countryside. All the places I love. There’s also beauty in all the things I do that I love. Like dancing – letting my body move with the music. Allowing someone else to twirl me around and being allowed by them to dance with them.

Wherever I am there will be beauty and there will be dancing. There will be lovely people to meet, to share moments with, to laugh and cry with…to hold each others’ hands in the dance of life. There’s love everywhere and when you open your eyes to it, your life will be so magical. None of us will be spared of the pain of childbirth or the pain of heartache, no one will go through life not losing something or someone. Life is transitory. When you have love though; when you are surrounded by people that amaze you with their beauty and warm you with their hearts, when you give love to others and when you do what you love doing, then you are leading an astonishing life.

Wherever I am there are people I cannot be with at that instant in time. I cannot hug them in physical form, but I will bring them with me in my heart as the treasure that they are, as the joy and light that they have brought me and continue to bring. What is so incredible is that even though my heart is filled with love, it can never be filled up with people – there’s always space for more. For more meetings, more friends, more laughter, more hugs and cuddles.

We may all live separate lives, but we all share this life also. This experience is ours, not alone, but together. We are in each other’s lives.

One of the things this summer taught me is that to open your heart and listen, really experience a person with all your senses, is the best gift you can offer. To see them, feel them and hear them as they are, in all their nakedness. To acknowledge the journey they are on. And when they do the same for you; when they let you into their heart for real – when they see you standing naked in front of them…you are blessed. You are blessed to be seen, to be felt, experienced. You live experiencing things, but to be experienced by another person…that is also an experience and it’s a very beautiful one. Very beautiful.

If there is someone out there whom you love, tell them. If there is someone you have not forgiven, forgive them. If there is someone you would like to get to know, ask them. If there is someone who makes your heart tremble, smile at them. Show them your naked heart. You don’t have to do much more. You just have to show up.

To all the people that have made this summer such an incredible experience, from the people I worked with, to the people I spent hours talking to, to the people that just showed up once or twice – I salute you. Thank you so much for making my experience on this planet that much more amazing.

And to all the people out there whom I will never meet, or whom I am yet to meet – know that every smile you give, every hug you share, every hand you hold is an incredible gift. It truly does make life worth living.

Thank you. Namaste. Merci. Tack så mycket!

“In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flames by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.” Albert Schweitzer

Dancing

Ok, so I love Robbie, mmmmm…but maybe this song is a tad cheezy…yet very, very true.

My view tonite.

Writing in the light of street lights…

Gordon’s…ain’t life sweet?!!!

Gordon’s…

Couldn’t buy you any…but in my mind I bought them for you…

Nudity…

Around two am this morning I was riding on a friend’s shoulders through Camden Town, eating raw ice cream. Now, to walk through Camden in an Armani suit is probably a lot more weird than what we were doing. Yet, I saw one person give me a look like “what the fuck?!?!” And somehow it got me thinking.

Yesterday I talked about how we play with words – how we may undress, or dress our words so as to avoid speaking the truth, but at the same time speaking the truth. I.e. we play little games – either because it’s fun (like flirting), or because we are scared and want an exit plan if someone should disagree with our words, or the intention behind them. So I thought a lot about being naked. Of stripping bare. Is it scary? If so, what’s there to be afraid of? Yourself?

Someone told me when I started this blog that I was brave, because just imagine – I was sharing who I am rather openly. Like it was a risk. What’s the risk in it though? People may not like it. People may give me shit for it. And I may change my opinion tmrw. but I cannot hide what I used to think. Fine. But what if what I feed them every day is not me? Then what? Well, what I am then is someone living a lie. And don’t tell me that that’s not who I truly am, because that is me – choosing to be a lie every day. What’s the risk of that? Never living at all.

People behave like the truth is painful. I think it’s all the lies that are painful. The lies make us scared of who we are, when it’s being who we are that brings us all the freedom.

You have been hypnotized since you were born into thinking what’s right and wrong and what your goals in life should be. I know all this. Yet, I feel more comfortable with people that I know think similar thoughts to me. People that won’t question me. People that have a similar outlook in life. I still start squirming when I sit next to someone who is having a conversation about the latest issue of Elle Magazine and lipstick. I simply don’t know what to say. And I am certain the person will not like me. So I really try to think of something to say that suits who they are. I still want to be liked. To be liked of course all you have to do is like yourself for who you are. So that you can relax when you sit next to someone that is everything that society ever said you ought to be without feeling weird. Because nine times out of ten it’s not them not liking you. It’s you not liking you. It’s you thinking you have to be someone else.

When was the last time you left everything comfortable behind and decided to spend time with people that either question everything that you have chosen to become, or whom you feel completely unrelated to? When was the last time you showed up as a punk if you normally wear Armani suits and in an Armani suit if you normally dress like a punk? When was the last time you just showed up without any attitude? Sat next to someone just being, rather than having to be? When was the last time you sat with yourself enjoying you?

In Sweden we aren’t too fussed about being in the nude. As I see it you have a body that you can either be proud of or curse. There are certain aspects you are in control of and you can therefore change them if you don’t like them. Other aspects just are. You can display them, or you can try to hide them. You can turn them into something positive, or you can ponder on their negativity. You can enjoy what you have, or curse what you don’t have. In either case what you have you have. It’s still there no matter what you do with it. Sure we all have goals of how we wish to look tomorrow, but we are where we are in this moment, on whatever journey we are on to becoming. Either you fight this moment, or you release it. Either you are proud to be naked, or ashamed to be naked. Either you flaunt what you have or you cover it up underneath layers and layers of clothes. In either case you are naked underneath those clothes.

How comfortable are you being completely naked around the people in your life? Around strangers? (And no, I’m not talking about taking your clothes off here…)