This week is all about independence, healthy relationships. We can have a strong bond with people but still be able to grow our own way.

I am not really sociable, let’s be honest. But I have very good friends, and no matter what life brings to our paths, we are connected to each others. Life can throw us int he middle of the strongest storm, and we may have to go through it by ourselves, but once we tamed it, and that we are getting out of it our lesson learned, stronger, wiser, we know who to share it with. We can go as deep as we want, no one will judge us. But they will enjoy the journey as we did, and they will bring their insight, always welcome, to ponder.

I am really independent. I need my personal space, I need my secret garden, my sacred space to grow and explore. But I can do it because I don’t feel alone at all. I have friends and my family. They all are aware of my way of being, and accept it, or learned to accept it. Because this is who I am. I always take time to share and learn from them, then I go back to my own growth, being myself. I also accept that they are following a really different path, and I enjoy seeing them being happy about their own path. There is no competition. We each respect the other, and take a real pleasure to exchange, to share our latest discoveries or enlightenment. But I also know from experience that if any of them start to judge me or try to convince me I should do things this or that way, I will raise boundaries pretty clearly and take some distance. Time will always bring us back together, but with a new respect for each other independent growth.

I really am grateful for the people I have in my life, they each are wonderful and I really love to have them in my life, as I hope they love to have me in theirs. But what makes these relationships both stronger and long lasting is the respect we have for each other’s space. I am always happy to spend time with them, but I also need my alone time. It doesn’t mean that I don’t love them anymore, I just love to have time when I can reflect, and learn, and live things I can share with them afterward. I am always there for them, they can call me whenever they need me, I’ll be there for them. In times of need, I know I can also count on them, they will be here, and give me the strength I need to face whatever requires their presence by my side.

We are part of each other’s life, but we are not each other’s life. We all have our own path to journey on, and no one can do it for us. But we can choose to be bonded to people who will give us the strength to face whatever comes, and with whom we can enjoy each step. As we will enjoy the way they live theirs. We will always take the time to get together and to share. But we will also need to journey by ourselves. The key is to find balance between the two.

So this week, find time for yourself, and share what you learned with your loved ones.

The card.

A friend of mine went for a walk and took a wonderful pic she posted online. And she agreed to have me use it as a reference for one of my cards. She also went back to trail and took more pics for me, and they sure inspired me. But these two trees just called me. The sun playing with the empty space between them, the strong tangled roots… everything. This is really the way I see my relationships. Strong intricate roots, anchoring them in the nutritive soil, giving them a strong base, and two trees launching themselves upward. They really inspired me, and I decided to give them this teal hue to add a bit of mystery. In the picture my friend took, there was this awesome effect of the sun light playing with the camera. I tries to reproduce it as much as I could. And of course, added sparks of magic ;). I hope you’ll like it too.

My journey

Our journal

I wish you a beautiful week. Because you deserve it.