on the move

I came home to visit my parents

it's just as easy as it was at Christmas

I'm so glad

Today I drove to Pv.

to visit J. and see their long-built house

it was a great time

conversing about everything

and seeing her at home, with her husband and daughter 

My praying mood is pretty much gone

that's not such a happy thing

and driving was quite stressful

but in general, things are o.k.

Apart from sleep, I guess 

(3:50)

on things on the move

If you've been here for a few months

you won't be surprised

that my silence is a good sign again

I feel generally pretty good:

the name-change, 

the adoption-eligibility process,

the therapy, 

the talk with P. and lately with G.

all moved this and that

and while I still feel a bit unfaithful

to my ideals and "all I hold sacred"

I can sometimes shake it off 

with some vague feeling of 

"heck, I did what I could"

The days are longer, too

and brighter, and warmer

on an accidental(ly witnessed) sunrise

Some more sights like this

and I might even become a morning person

on the good priest

(I mean the proverbial one that learns till death)

Years ago I've got a psychological assessment

that stated (among a lot of other stuff)

that I am an extrovert without any hint of introversion whatsoever

this sounded very strange, given my general love for solitary employments

and occasional aversion towards new and/big groups of people

however, the pandemic is teaching me about myself

namely that can I lack people horribly

days are passing without any meaningful communication

(let alone skin contact...)

and I start feeling that this is what depresses me most

today, before I walked out to the fair,

I thought about asking N. to join me

but she's been working crazy-busy these last weeks

and most people need longer notice anyway

and my ideas get rejected usually anyway

so I couldn't make myself call her

and thus made certain that I won't have company...

It happens all too often

I long for connection but don't do the least for it

Here's to all those who still call me

thank you

on lacking vitality

I so don’t feel like doing anything

despite the wonderfully bright day outside

and the stuff to do inside

it took me a few hours to get out of bed

but back then I was not sad yet, just lazy

after another hour or so I even changed out of my pyjamas

had lunch

tech-supported two friends

listened to this and that

and meanwhile, all my energy left me 

I can’t really imaginge doing anything else than sleeping

however, I’ll make myself walk over to the water tower

and maybe even have a coffee and/or <kürtőskalács>

on being unfaithful

Today I remembered once again

that the fact that I am feeling significantly better than a year ago

proves that I am not faithful to my ideals

on P., the God-sent

Today I finally got to talk to P.

after way too long a time 

(Google Calendar tells me we last met in August!

I seem to remember something from autumn but it's unlikely that I'd have forgotten to put it on the calendar)

and quite a few stones fell off my heart 

[which is, of course, a saying unknown in English]

such a privilege to have someone to talk to

who embodies hope 

and is available on demand

such a grace

on flirtation

A sentence I'd never thought will ever leave 

[I have no idea about the tenses here] 

my mind:

all I wish for is some light flirtation

Troubles are that

it has a bad name (but do read this article or watch the video below it, and tell me that it isn't true!), and that

we know all too well

what became of my similar desire last year...

I could probably do other stuff

to feel more like a woman

like dress up and such

but I can't see anything else 

guaranteeing any instant gratification

people didn't notice my hair cut

and also, I just don't meet people

and stuff like that requires tiresome work

and I am lazy and demotivated

Today was a real drag

I didn’t feel like doing anything

procrastination, sadness, general blahh

However, A. called in the afternoon, and that was nice

and N. also volunteered to listen to me whining

and that helped a bit, too

Maybe I just lack people

BUT

I joined the Imagine prayer once again tonight

(after many missed sessions)

and it was lovely

I was reminded that the prophetess Anna’s life 

hadn’t quite gone the way she may have imagined

(being a wife for 7 and then a widow for about 50 years?!)

and yet she remained faithful

as was God, in all that (and "all that" of the Jews’ history)

In the end I even said hello to Steve H.

who seemed to be able to place me even after these 12 years

(I put JVC in the chatbox before but still)

and that felt realy nice, too

on daydreaming

Tonight I watched a lovely lecture

on designing a joyful home

and it started with imagining 

what you'd like your home to feel like

A week ago on CLC we worked with our dreams, too

And both times I had this disconcerting feeling

that I am hardly in touch with my dreams or desires

I could list a few dreams I had or maybe even have somewhere deep

but I have a very hard time trying to imagine them

and to imagine myself in them

I was never very good at fantasising

but I can't remember it being this hard

---

And there is something else, too

I feel as though I've used up all my faith in 2019

it kept me going, alive, and relatively sane back then

but it never replenished

and by now all my wheels and cogs are screeching

Looking back, the previous two weeks or so

were much like a crash course in self-kowledge...

I went ahead and swapped back my name

first at at the registrar

then online

and even started the official turns

I spent days munching on (or, well, procrastinating) the adoption papers

figured out why I was resisting it all so vehemently

(because I felt trapped by the circumstances)

and dodged this (by making sure that

I shall not be recommended a child until

I showed up with a very clear sign saying READY)

I filled in an MMPI (2-RF)

and spent an hour in a very good conversation with a psychologist

(who seemed quite certain that I am capable of the task ahead)

talked at length with a rarely-seen friend 

over lunch and coffee

had my hair cut

and my colour type analysed

dealt with unexpected news, 

reached out to someone I hardly know,

had the privilege of a vulnerable reply

and confessed myself an impostor

And on the less taxing side:

(besides these) in two weeks I attended 

an online retreat 

two delightful evenings of this little reading group

the first two of four Love Anyway workshops

two CLC gatherings

and the first sitting of my brand new book club

 

I am exhausted

but in that good, expectant way

on being an impostor

I think I have never felt this horrible this way

Today someone sent me a heartfelt thank you note

for something I’d done for a common friend

for entirely different, and indeed very selfish reasons

I considered confessing

but the nature of the case makes it impossible

And so now I am left with this gut-wrenching guilt

for abusing someone’s high regard for me

without a way out into honesty

(But at least it lead me to some very honest prayers)

on being a true winter

These, my friends, 

are the colours that suit me best

and alas, I used to wear many of them

in high school and on the university

Mum always steered me towards these, too

but at present it feels way too bold and bright and happy and devil-may-care

we'll see, we'll see

how long the "new year, new me" feel will last

The analysis was absolutely fun

I can only recommend it (and E. M.)

I hope the know-thyself part will be, too

a bit of experimenting 

probably wouldn't hurt

on the first bookclub session

I hereby declare the event a success

it wasn’t overly structured

and of course the book 

was one that hardly leaves anyone cold (The Bell Jar)

but still, ten people came together

and were quite active

had lots of opinions

and lots of fun

so yes, I imagined something like this

this far, I am happy

on L., again

The night before last
L. turned up in my dream again

we visited some zoo with a bunch of friends

chatting in English

up to the point of farewell

on which occasion L. chose to say a few sentences 

in close-to-perfect Hungarian

(and we hugged each other

as if it were the most natural thing in the world)

I can’t recall what he said

but it was certainly something nice

I had this vague warm feeling from the dream the whole day long

This morning I told him via WhatsApp

(well, except for the hugging part)

he laughed

and we started chatting as we didn’t lately

and at one point it turned out that he and S. broke up

which shook me

because they did look great

in fact the last (and only) reference 

I ever heard from L. to their relationship

was that it was "strong and healthy"

But then that was 1.5 years ago 

It’s a great pity on so many levels

the most practical being that 

I really hoped and wished to one day see their children

(keeping in mind that that may not have been their plan)

I obviously know nothing more

and will never, by all chances

but the metaphisical anxiety 

that every break-up makes me feel

is present nevertheless

on coming out

On Sunday I told two sets of people

about the name-reboot

and my intention to get a new adoption-eligibility paper

somehow both conversations 

turned to the dissolving of the sacramental marriage 

and eventually, I think, none of the 6 people said a single word

to the adoption part

Today I invited P. over for lunch

(he was there on Sunday)

and he told me that A. 

(whom she had told with my explicit permission)

"was glad for the news"

thinking that it was some 

forward-looking action on my part finally

I came home Sunday evening with serious doubts as to 

how good an idea it was 

to tell the second set of people

there and then

the mood certainly wasn’t one for deep talk

but then I was burning to tell them 

(at least the first part but someone inevitably asked the "why now")

Anyway, as time goes by, I feel less and less sure

about how good an idea the whole thing is

I procrastinated filling in the questionaire

(meaning that I couldn’t watch the online film club’s choice either)

and I still had to write the CV but I feel unable to do it

I wonder if the silence of my people contributed to it

or if it is my better judgement speaking from the depths

Funnily enough

my not-even-admitted-to-myself 

desires for intimacy

find a way to expression

in my dreams

and usually with the least appropriate people

there was a friend once whose girlfriend witnessed our spiralling madness

than a priest

and this time someone about twenty years my junior

(which at least is not downright immoral)

we were classmates(!) at some remote boarding school for acting(!!)

and I kept carrying a huge backpack

that was so heavy I could barely stand under its weight

there was also a huge waste disposal plant nearby

and once I sat in a (clean) garbage container

and was suddenly let lose as in a cable car

to rush towards its destination 

(a growing wall of trash as I remember now)

my life preserving instinct was awakened immedialtely

I held on to the rail as I could

than read the instructions on a sticker inside

showing how the container is not turned upside down in the end

and so it was

when I got back, the operator told me she did it on purpose

with some personal developmental experience in mind

though I can't recollect what exactly

on the weekend (more or less)

Yesterday I went for a hike

back from M. on the dam

no struggle with the elements this year

(two years ago snow actually froze on the front of our coats)

the weather was much like it was in 2017

2-3 degrees, I guess

obviously, there were other differences, too

back than we did it with Á.

and in 2018 with a bunch of friends

in the frame of an organised hike

whereas I was in my own now

except for my ever-obliging demons

I put away the phone for quite a while

and thought a lot 

though not very introspectivly

still, a few things cleared out a bit

like The Word

which is, without any doubt whatsoever

S P A C I O U S N E S S

I also tried to come up with ways to cultivate spaciousness*

such as

- taking walks

- climbing whatever I can for the view

- sky gazing from the balcony, maybe even in the morning

- leaving margins between stuff in my calendar

- getting up early (<ráérős> is in fact a close ralative of <tágas> in my mind)

- decluttering

- widening my heart for people and causes that have not interested me this far

- or doing the same with ideas

I also thought about lots of other issues

which will come up here, too, sooner or later

but which for now I'd rather keep secret

At home I lay down in the bathtub

very tired and very content

---

* Any input from you is welcome!

In the morning we had a looong work meeting

I didn’t quite get it all but it was o.k.

Before that I went to run a wee bit

the idea was that starting all over with that great plan 

might just get me hooked again

if it could once 

and alas, it turns out that I am nowhere near my peak fitness either

so starting from the beginning was indeed a good idea

I’ll see if I go again though

I am not very committed yet

(also, just saying I will makes me feel exhausted)

I spent the afternoon in a daze 

mostly from the lack of sleep, I guess

I procrastinated all I had to do

lost all my energy or mood to anything

couldn’t even get to watch tonight’s film (Groundhog Day)

and now I think I’ll try to sleep

and hopefully get up early enough tomorrow

to finish what I still have to

on searching, pt 3

The process has got into a very intuitive state
unsurprisingly, I am at a loss

I am inclined towards the passive an inward-focussed words

(like heart, ease, acceptance, safe, healing, gentleness, self-compassion)

but then I may just as well need activity and getting out of my head

(like flow, yes, real, or vitality would suggest)

and then there are the ones encompassing a lot:

spaciousness, whole, flow, embrace...

Anyway, no rush, I can easily sit a few more days with these

Today I finally tidied up and hoovered

(I had to, we’re going to have a work meeting here tomorrow)

(even washed my hair!)

which reminded me how naïve a hope it was

all through summer

that tidying up will be the breakthrough

I guess there is no breakthrough

or only in the wrong direction: 

trauma can work its destruction in a couple of days

but healing takes ages