This one is on strength. On learning life and love, individually and with others. On trusting and believing that there is love somewhere behind and within, also where and when it’s sometimes hard to see and feel it. It’s a tribute to like-minded and like-hearted people who choose daily to trust and keep moving on, learning and growing to live and love, regardless of perceived losses and injustices, and keep choosing to find the power within and keep opening their hearts and minds. And it’s an invite to all the others.

I appreciate you all. I admire your strength. Strength is power. The real strength is not given, it’s earned, it’s lived, it’s loved. It’s a sort of power-freedom play, it’s a love-fear game. It’s our inner strength muscle waiting to be used, to train, to empower. Some use it, some not so much, and some misuse it. Don’t worry, it all comes back. It all starts and ends with us.

My mom is a very wise woman, and she still needs to remind me when I find myself hurting and struggling with some situation, relationship, or love-life combination saying ‘Tanja, people hurt you because they don’t know or they don’t know better, and you get hurt because you forget this.’ True. A sign for me to work it through.

For me, this usually means going through a roller-coaster of thoughts and emotions, and while going through I gain strength and end up with/in gratitude. It’s an internal, very personal intimate, and self and life-changing process. The other/s might notice or not when I’m in the process, but they sense the difference when I’m through. I can’t deny it, it’s already happened. And yes, I’m even more powerful than before. I’m also more free than before.

There is always a point, a moment when you see and try to understand, and then you see again, and again, and then you see even more and then you finally really see, and then you can understand. These are potential points where in my opinion we people differ in the way we perceive things, how we respond, and most importantly, how and why we do things as we do. It’s who we are/being. It’s how, what, and why we do things to ourselves, although some might still think they do it to others.

We have free will. We can choose. What we choose includes also the outcome. Whether we take responsibility for all of it or just partially, it’s again the difference among people. But it’s clear. We might just not see it or don’t want to see it or try to cover it so the other/s do not see it. Whatever you do, it’s there. It’s clear. It’s just covered with ‘something’ as ‘something’ for/to have ‘something’. Is it love? It’s there, but the answer is more likely in ‘Where Love Goes’ in these moments, situations, and connections.

The truth is – that strength doesn’t come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.’ (Mahatma Gandhi). So no one can take it away from me or you, if we don’t allow it. Let’s keep on going and growing, individually and as a collective. I believe that – ‘Nothing is so strong as gentleness, and nothing so gentle as real strength.’ (St. Francis De Sales).

Be strong and use your strength to live and love powerfully and freely. Be your own inspiration to keep getting better and better.