That's the crazy thing you put me through...

Being a Celt!

More pros than cons if you are one like me!  We are quite mysterious, aren't we?

Can't stay away from what you are, where you are from and where you were raised into... Cause let's be honest between the music, the tales, and the festivals, the food and old languages you are supposed to know, I have lots to tell you about being a Celt!

Depending on which part you are from and being from different countries, everyone is highly similar, look at the Irish and the Scottish with the kilt. No judgments here, I was born around that so I can't say anything bad about it or be judgmental!

I'm sure you have heard about Celtics, the way they are, what they believe in, what they listen to and drink... Wear and talk... I mean Gaelic is quite popular and guess what, there are multiple old languages like this one!

I'm sure you also heard about druids? Oh these badasses people who might have done sacrifices, they did some pretty neat stuff too, such as advising chiefs with new laws, got to judge people for their crimes... They were considered the wisest people out there, so twenty years in training to get to their position was needed! If you don't know anything about druids, you should go and learn a bit more cause it's actually pretty interesting!

You know the roads? The ones that are EVERYWHERE, well we always thought Romans made this idea come true... Think again cause the Celts did it first and they were amazing at developing the great idea.
And gender didn't matter! Women could become warriors, chiefs, druids and thinking how Celts are, I'm not surprised, I don't understand why not everyone took this great situation, our world would be so much more equal by now! But sadly not because everyone else thought Celts were just like the Vikings, uneducated and barbarians. Not true, but that's how it turned out! Can't change what people thought and still may think about these people.

Now, despite what they may have done or not in the past, it is in the past. Today, being a celt means you are from either Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, Wales, Cornwall and Isle of man. Six nations to show that the 'Celtic nations' are still here even after much history to separate even destroy it all.
And somehow this makes me proud to be Celtic!
We are a tough crowd, may seem cold, lack of trust in others, but loyal friends who can drink for days and party all night long without worries.

When I talk about partying all night, I'm talking about the festivals!
Festivals...
Ireland has Fleadh Cheoil (and Gaelic Céilidh)
Scotland has Mod
Brittany has Fest Noz
Cornwall has Troy
and Wales has Eisteddfod.

Festivals show everyone who goes the music, the traditional clothes, the language, the food, drinks, and dances. The Celtic Media Festival is one of the biggest festivals which is an annual three-day event that promotes everything and it's been running since 1980. Quite a festival if you ask me. It's like the birthdays of the most important Celtic Saints... We either celebrate Saint Patrick's Day in Ireland, Saint David's Day in Wales, Saint Andrew's Day in Scotland, Saint Piran's Day in Cornwall, Saint Maughold's Day in Isle of Man and Fete de la St-Yves and Grand Pardon of Sainte-Anne-d'Auray in Brittany. Le pardon, being one of the popular celebrations in where I grew up, I had to see my mother dress like the old times, making me wants to participate and trust me... It's not easy to wear what they had to, we have it rather easy now.
A funny side note is even though it's all about celebrating, drink, dance around, it's also about religion. Born and raised Celtic isn't always easy...

You may drink a lot, but church is part of it all as well. The legends, the mythology, literature, the fantasy behind leprechauns or korrigans... Fairies... Magical forests... I mean you name it, we are full of mystery. Full of legends, stories to keep you up at night because you want to learn more about it all. I sure stayed long nights watching movies, reading books on the subject, and despite never seeing a magical creature, it's part of the Celtic ways... And just because you are Celtic doesn't mean you have a pot of gold waiting for you in your garden!


Despite the fact that Celtics were around years ago, it is still alive, and we are proof! 

"May you always find three welcomes...  In a garden in the summer, at a fireside during winter and, whatever the day or season, in the kind eyes of a friend." 

~Bella

One Mystery at the Time...

Since I've been living out of my mum's, I've been walking pretty much everywhere which helped me keep fit, and since then, I've seen the same old people from town.

I do live in a small town and since I've been living on my own (with housemates),  the city has become smaller, making it difficult to not see the same people, and working two jobs, downtown isn't helping either. Sounds like a village than a town or city. It is far from bothering me when it comes to one specific person, someone who is a complete stranger.

I don't pay much attention to many people especially after knowing that half the people are either tourists, college kids who've got no brain, customers, and people I prefer to ignore. So having someone catch my eyes... Well, it's quite unexpected!

He was walking up the street while I was walking down, unaware of anyone around me. Thin silhouette with dark messy hair, backpack on and a bike next to him. Nothing different if you compare him to other people, and yet, I saw him. I saw him around others and somehow that's making him different. Why? Why him and not someone else? And yet, I'm here, still talking about him, wondering so many questions.

That was about four months ago.

Four months later, I'm still seeing him almost everywhere, thinking of who he is, and finally dreaming of what his name is. I'm dreaming of the perfect stranger whose name is unknown. Is it just my hormones working out, playing tricks or just something pulling me, telling me to go forth and ask for a name?

Why think of him? Why dream of him? 

When I think of it, I'm throwing myself into a dangerous story, putting myself out in a strange world, the world that ain't mine but this stranger's one.

So a few weeks ago, I end up coming home a little late, walking towards my street when I saw him on a skateboard which is already odd enough, but what makes it weirder is I called him out, waving at him so he could come to me. Funny thing, he did come towards me, wondering what I wanted. We ended up talking for about two to three hours. Learned quite a lot, and despite the fact that he doesn't hang around the people who will support him, pull him out of the wrong path, he hangs out with people who are bringing him down.

Now, I understand how frustrating is it to not know how to to get away from people who've been around for you when you have been in a tough position, but at some point, you'll have to know there's more to it than just them than just what you know.

What I've learned from trying to help someone who's got his life quite disastrous is that no matter what happens, it's never too late for a second chance.
That's right, a second chance...
Believe me when I say that I do not give second chances and somehow this guy came into my life and showed me wrong. I personally didn't give him a second chance as it was his first chance with me.
He might not be the guy you would expect to have a brain much larger than the others, and yet he surprised me. Smarter than half the people I know or talked to, quite refreshing to say the least. Much more interest to listen to, talk to, no boring moment. Despite the fact that I wanted to help out, not everyone can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and he believes I came a little too late.

I laugh at it when I'm writing this post, but trust me I wasn't at the time. I've always believed it's never too late to do things, to believe in some happy ending, and he crushed it in a matter of seconds.
When I thought I was going to help out, someone who deserves it, someone who I believed in because I saw beyond the appearances, saw what he was truly capable of doing, he rejects it. Refusing to take the help even though I did hit a nerve to show him the positive is quite painful to accept! 

At least, now, whenever I see him and he sees me, I know I can count on a smile which means a lot already! He also knows he can count on me if he wants to talk, freely talk. 

"Listening is often the only thing needed to help someone."

~Bella

Familiar faces...

Watching him across the street, sitting down in the same chair, same hat, with a book in his hand… Drinking his coffee bean drink makes me smile.

Each time I work, I wait until I get to see him from the shop. He is quite intrigued with his British accent and his little comfort food in his pocket. Can’t get enough!

A great reason to smile, that’s for sure! 

The way he looks at me and salutes me like a gentleman, waving his hat at me… While from the shop I smile back at him, wave and keep smiling big! Always alone with a book, a little notebook and his coffee bean drink. A pencil in his right hand, he observes people pass by, read a few lines from his book before looking back up at the people who keep passing by him! It’s becoming normal, almost a necessary for the shop, well for me at least! Having him around a familiar face, a familiar touch! A way to know has someone familiar around when you are working alone in the shop. Hilarious enough, missing a day without my British friend is just plain depressing! He might not do much, but his presence is around, making me want to get to know him more, know what’s his life, what’s his hobbies, his little addictions… What happened to him being in California with a British accent? He can only be British! 

Being interested in him just makes my working days ten times better! I imagine what his life might be like, imagine what he does outside of his little reading and note time. Between that morning coffee bean to his evening one? What does he do? Does he have a family, a wife, children?

I would assume he doesn’t have any wife, he doesn’t have a ring, but that again, might just be wrong, he might have been married… If he went to school around here? Who knows…

I let my imagination run free, wild, flow around while I believe whatever comes to mind because each time something new come up! No clue if I’m right or wrong, but my vivid thoughts keep running free. 

This man must be in his late 60’s, British (his accent gives that one away), not too much of a sweet tooth, love to read and take notes, got many buddies that one day will bring to the shop, but no wife around. He must really enjoy coffee bean because it’s the only thing I see him drink! His glasses on top of his nose makes him look even smarter than before… 

This man sends good vibes if I don’t see him at least once a day (whenever I’m working), my day isn’t accomplished. He gives me something, something familiar. His European side makes me think about Europe a lot more, maybe it’s just a feeling of being “home”, or it could just be a simple familiar face because he reminds me of my grandpa in some ways. 

There are people like that, that give some good vibes. Some are just a reminder of someone else, important or not. Some are just a familiar face who’s around to make you feel better because whenever they aren’t around, you feel lost! 

Across the street, there is Pickles and Swiss…. Best sandwiches ever! Can’t get enough of them! Don’t ask me why I prefer, each timeI try to get something new, and each time, I fall in love with the sandwich! At the end, I will end up loving everything on the menu cause I won’t be able to choose what I prefer. Since I’ve been working, Pickles and Swiss have been crowded with people, I even had to take my mum in at least once… That’s how addicted I am to the place, but it’s not only for the sandwiches or the soup that by the way are delicious! It’s about the people as well. When I say that British gentleman, old as he might be, he is a familiar face, my work day goes better when I see him… 

Well at Pickles and Swiss, there is also a person that intrigue my curiosity quite a bit! I go there often for the food obviously, but also to see that person. Each time, something makes me nervous, makes me want to know more about the guy. I don’t even know how to explain the feeling, but something pulls me to that person like a wanting to know more feeling! He is just a little too sweet and since I was starting to get over the fact that every guy I know is the same, this one came along once, helped me out with a sandwich choice and at that moment something hit me! Something big because I cannot stay away from that place whatsoever. All my tips are going to that place, and do not ask me why, it’s pulling me, making me want to come back each time. 

Whenever I don’t get to see his face, I’m lost as well. It is odd, but whenever I work, I have these faces that I need to see to get my work day be better! But this guy from Pickles and Swiss just intrigues me a lot more than anyone, something about him is interesting, different, and he honestly seems like the type of guy that get his heart broken many times cause he looks so sweet… Then again, appearances can be tricky! For all, I know he could be an ex-con who sold drugs and now on probation. Highly unlikely but we never know someone, and since I never really talked to him, I don’t know for sure! First steps are so difficult!

"You are a mystery to me, yet so familiar. Like a song I've never heard before, and a tune I've known my entire life." - Pavana

~Bella