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Understanding
Freely translated, the philosopher Kirkegaard wrote “If I want to succeed in leading a person towards a definite goal, I must first find her where she is and start right there”. He probably meant that willingness, curiosity, and empathy are required to truly understand someone else. *** Now it’s dark and rainy in Stockholm, so it’s nice to think about the summer days that were, and the warm summer nights. ***
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Warm love!
Summer has really come to Sweden. We have a heat wave with temperatures above 30 degrees (Celsius). The weather was also exceptionally good recently during the important Midsummer weekend. Almost as if nature comforts us in the midst of the ongoing pandemic. We had a walk on Djurgården, an island in central Stockholm. There, in the middle of the capital, you will find beautiful and soothing scenery with stretches of forest and meadows, in addition to historical buildings and monuments, museums, galleries, an amusement park, the open-air museum Skansen, a small residential area, and yacht harbours. The Swedish monarch has held the right of disposition of Djurgården since the 15th…
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In Our Pasture
Contrary to what some domestic and foreign politicians believe, we in Sweden have taken strong measures to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus in the population. The future, when the pandemic is over, will tell us which actions around the world were the most effective. This year’s National Day celebration was different. Among other things, a distance choir was formed with more than 700 participants to welcome the summer and together sing “Uti vår hage”. “Uti vår hage” (“In our pasture or meadow”) is a traditional Swedish folk song first published around the 1880s, though it is considered to have origins as far back as the 1600s. The song…
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Fear is the new safe!
We live in a time of security mania. Taking it safe before the uncertain seems to be an increasingly common mantra. But, putting yourself at risk does not necessarily have to be fatal.Lack of trust in a relationship can lead to an awkward feeling of insecurity. But, in order to build trust, we need the courage to be in uncertainty for a time.The saddest thing in this context is that the feeling of insecurity is often imagined and comes from one’s own inner fear. We need control over our inner fears to have the courage to live. Pictures from the boat trip with Adam, my youngest son, the last week-end.
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Touring on the edge!
Traveling the wide road is easy. Going along a narrow path is much more interesting. But, touring on the edge really is thrilling! Lately, we have had calm weather excellent for boating in the outer archipelago, on the edge of the open sea.The bare islets and the open view is balm for the soul. It is also cozy with a small bay with no other boats, except the ones passing by at a distance on the very edge. In the coming days, we will receive high-pressure weather with really high temperatures even in the archipelago. Continued calm weather is promised so I will head out to the edge again.…
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Trust and confidence
Trust and confidence are essential in close relations with love. Consider the many oddities we humans are devoted to in order to avoid closeness. Do you know the expression “alone is strong”? What a nonsense! Alone is afraid of intimacy. The other day I had the confidence to watch the marina. In the boat club we share the responsibility to watch each other’s boats. Together we become safer. We trust in each other. Compare this to a single boat in a small private dock. Independent, yes but insecure.
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Midsummer mystique!
Last Friday, in Sweden we celebrated Midsummer Eve. It is an important feast that some people think would be Sweden’s national day. It is celebrated on the night before Midsummer Day which used to be on June 24. Since 1953 it falls on a Saturday between June 20 and June 26. It is perhaps a problem that the day varies if it were our national day. Also in Finland Midsummer is thoroughly celebrated, and the day varies. Some say the feast has pre-Christian origin but the evidence is lacking. In the 300s, the undivided Christian Church designated June 24 as the feast day of St John the Baptist. The Christians…
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Alla batterier är laddade – All the batteries are charged!
På sommaren är det bra att vara ledig, göra något kul, njuta och ”ladda batterierna”! Hösten smyger sig på, ledigheten är över och på jobbet går allt i full fart. Ikväll hann jag bläddra bland sommarens bilder.Sommaren har verkligen varit kul! Jag har njutit! Och som vi har badat!Nu ska jag njuta av hösten!
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Värsta båtsommaren! – What a boating summer!
För en hel del år sedan, när jag var yngre och seglade med Anders H-båt eller med lite större, hyrda båtar, var det självklart att jag själv skulle ha en båt när jag blev stor. Det är en hel del år sedan jag blev ganska stor. Någon gång under åren hade självklarheten med en egen båt försvunnit. Jovisst, jag var nära när vi skaffade en femmeters Buster att roa oss med på före detta svärmors lantställe i inre skärgården, men det räknas inte.För tre år sedan, ombord en skärgårdsbåt på väg till Utö drabbade mig plötsligt självklarheten med en båt. Men, hur skulle jag ha tid med segling också? Var…
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Midsommarfest! – Midsummer party!
I förrgår var midsommarafton. I år firade jag med min syster och vår mor på en liten ö i inre skärgården. Med var också systerns son och hennes karl samt grannar på ön. Det har blivit lite si och så med midsommartraditionerna men vi hade sill, öl och nubbe. Den gamla modern agerade midsommarstång. Det blev en väldigt trevlig fest! Jag sov gott i båten i den ljusa midsommarnatten.
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Bilden och känslan – The Picture and the feeling
Det är något särskilt med solnedgångsbilder. De är väldigt lika och egentligen ganska tråkiga rent “fotografiskt”, men de väcker känslor av välbehag. Man riktigt känner hur mysigt det var när bilden togs! Den här bilden är från i somras. Mange, Lollo och jag hade natthamn vid Horsslangen, Lådnaön i Stockholms mellanskärgård med aktern åt väster. Perfekt solnedgångsfotoläge och en bild som har givit många likes i Instagram. (Foto-gubb-nörd-fakta: 1/125 sek, f/14, ISO 200, 22 mm)
