In Love with Life: horses

Sunday, December 2, 2018

Greece, Confusion and Animals Love

Have you ever looked into the stray cats or dogs eyes and wondered how can they still look so loving?

How can you still feel love and loyalty towards somebody that represents the group of the ones that abused you?

Every time I volunteer at the animal shelter I feel so grateful for the people who take these poor abused of life animals and give them loving home...

But let's start with a funny story.

When people tell me they mix socks in the morning, or confuse their babies at the hospital, it always makes me laugh. I love confused and clumsy people, they give such a laughter in this world. But I never considered myself to be one of them. Until the day I happened to mix Skyros island in Greece with Syros. And they are not even nearby!

So just picture this. I arrive late night at this tiny quiet island of Skyros. I wait 10 minutes-20-30 for my hosts to pick me up and then after half an hour of being polite and pretending not to be impatient I call them to find out where they are. Signal is bad, I try calling, can't reach them, they try calling me, they can't reach me. Typical story of the person that doesn't own a smartphone. Well, after 2 hours of walking alone in the darkness and cold we all realised I am on the wrong island! What the heck. Well, they say laugh when you are in trouble and things will be alright. When I say they, I mean myself. That's what I believe.

I found people who gave me a shelter for the night, they were calling their friends and relatives (it's a tiny island, finally something interesting is happening) telling how one confused lithuanian mixed the islands and were telling me that it's the sign and I must stay there instead. So for 3-4 days I managed to put myself around greeks, help with horses, learn few basic words and discover a beautiful island. Thanks Universe!

When I finally managed to get to the right island I got surrounded by such love and affection of beautiful Syros cats. I always considered myself more a dog person but here I happened to truly see beautiful personalities and fall in love with cats too.

Every day my animal gurus were teaching me how to appreciate each moment and fully experience it. How to adapt to each situation and don't dwell on the past or future. They also taught me love and affection.

I meowed a lot for the pats 3 weeks. I also met wonderful dedicated people who put animals first than themselves. Absolute respect to them. My heroes really.

I ate shit loads of feta and made sure I have my extra insulation for this coming winter and I even started rapping. Ha!

Don't worry I still had the days when I felt like I am not good enough or hated some things. I love rainbows but I love darkness too.

And I fell in love with Greece. The place in Europe where they still smoke in the post offices or other places while the law prohibits. The country where restrictions of our so called organised system is not there yet and I love that. I mean, check this out, while I was sitting in the bus, the bus driver suddenly stops on the random road, gets out of the bus, walks to the field and takes few pictures from his cellphone of the cute horse in the field, then comes back and drives on as nothing happened. Really?! That's how you celebrate life. In my opinion at least.

Next place-ski resort in France. You will find me snowboarding somewhere. Get in touch if you are around.

Love,

Ligita

tiny and pretty port of Skyros

Elpida

each night at Skyros I had my own personal cinema

beautiful Skyrian horses

still warm!!!

while on boat from Skyros

Kini, Syros

Jelly likes the brad basket!

What a drool!

beautiful beach reached only by keen hikers

Galissas beach

Ermopoulis

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Summer Time And the Living is Easy. And Here Comes Autumn

Dear friends,

It's been a while since I sat down and put my words down.

This summer flew unbelievably fast. It felt like one of those when I used to be at school waiting for summer holidays and then enjoying every single day of it, except this time I actually been working.

My lovely island Sark, again, was spoiling me like a princess. Or like a horse carriage driver, ha! That was my status for those sunny hot days on Sark. Working outdoors and getting to know more about horses was one of the highlights of this summer.

And here I have to mention about my new special friend- Alfie, the horse I've been driving. White beauty in love with rolling in the mud. The soft and gentle giant whose one step can easily break your toe. Curious and obsessed about food. My work colleague, my team and most important my friend. Strong and sweet. Ok, I start to sound like a horse lady, ha!

It's been my third summer on the beautiful island Sark. Every year brings something new. New friendships, new discoveries, new mistakes, new connections and definitely a new breeze.

They say just before your death, you see your life passing by like a movie scene where all you can do is just observe. Well, every time I leave places for a moment or two I get that. Like a flash of all your summer that fits in one second. And even now when I look at that magic rock called Sark from it's sister island Guernsey I see horses, carriages, full moon parties, swim sessions, caves, new friendships, this muddy dusty road and the light and silence in the evening when island turns into magical paradise.

Everyday on my carriage while talking about Sark to visitors I kept falling in love with Sark again and again. Sometimes we forget how beautiful a place is, when you are living in it. The routine keeps disturbing the beauty. However, now and then I was reminded to look at Sark again and again and see something new. New corner, new bike that I haven't seen parked for years, new smell, new flower, new feeling.

So thank you again Sark, for letting me enjoy this summer that I swear passed by too fast.

In front of me: autumn full of new adventures, visiting old friends, Lake District and sweet Lithuania.

See you around!

Ligita