wow what a big font.

2015 1. It was the forgotten year; a year of lost memories. Memories and faces were erased from my memory box but they healed my wounds. 2. I had to say goodbye to certain people who no longer deserved the privilege of walking in my garden and then I spent the year digging out the toxic weeds they planted. 3. The empty spaces were filled with new faces -people who cared about my garden, people who invested their time and soon, my wounds were healed and my garden grew. 4. Words became strange and foreign to me. I left the life of writing and reading and when I tried to walk back, it’s arms were cold and closed. 5. I built a friendship on long distance and while the oceans remained vast and deep, the bridge we made to cross over the oceans remained strong. The “I miss you” and “I love you” became more than 3 words. It became a harsh reminder that I’m not there with you and it sucks but all I can offer are these words from my heart. 6. I listened until my ears bled and then when someone asked me if I was okay, I forgot how to speak because my tongue only became familiar with advices to give. 7. I moved again and left more memories behind. I packed up my stuff, threw away things I didn’t need and then I started fresh. Home became more than just a house. 8. Instead of writing my own words I read other people’s words in envy. Instead of creating memories and moments, I scrolled through other people’s memories and moments and forgot about myself. 9. I gave up. 10. I got back up. 11. An encounter with a stranger shook my year. 12. I placed my self esteem into the hands of a stranger and we didn’t even exchange our names. 13. I snatched my self-esteem from the stranger’s hand because my self-esteem is mine to have. 14. I spent the year in fear because the future no longer looked welcoming. The future looked like it was ready to engulf me so I walked away. I walked away until I was back in my past. 15. I gave up again. 16. I stood back up. 17. I survived the year and I’ll survive another.

The Buddhists say if you meet somebody and your heart pounds, your hands shake, your knees go weak, that’s not the one. When you meet your ‘soulmate’ you’ll feel calm. No anxiety, no agitation.

Don’t take anything personally. Nothing other people do is because of you. It is because of themselves.

Um so apparently you can live in this Parisian bookstore for free