Another guest on my blog.... he wrote in French and it was posted yesterday... I translated it! It's a wonderful surprise for me to read this post... I am always surprised by the generosity my readers are willing to share their experience... especially this one... since it's from my little brother... so here's his window... he writes so well in French that is was difficult for me to translate it but I did the best I could!
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| Photo de JBPhotographe |
Being neither a vegan, not a minimalist, I was really surprise when my sister asked me if I wanted to write a text for her blog. Minimalism... veganism... I am not even vegetarian... best scenario, I'm flexitarian, and I avoid eating meat as much as I can but I sometimes give in... I am, with no doubt, epicurean... Which greatly complicates the transition to being vegetarian. We also find here the voluntary simplicity aspect on this blog... Voluntary or not.... my life was rarely simple... Many say that I complicate my existence.
Therefore with enthusiasm and anxiety I accepted her request to write for her blog and write a word for you. Quite frankly, I had to think for a few weeks before I could start... Usually writing comes easily to me.
My instropection brought me to look at some aspect of my life that were left in the dark for a while. I was always very introspective. But has the title of my sister's book says "Life Happens". In my case, it did not necessarily have an positive impact. In fact, it brought me to loose sight of myself, to be carried away with the craziness of our lives...
I have, however, notice a change in the last few months. Different hardships forced me to stop and question my life. But this transformation finds it's roots well before those events. As a matter of fact, the beginning of this questioning find it's origin in the major changes my sister made in her life. A true inspiration, she will have lead by example. She made choices, took some important decisions to change her life path and insure a quality of life. I would be dishonest if I would say that I always took her new ideas and decisions with an open mind set. Truth is, I sometimes reacted, openly or not, in a rebellious way. I, however, tried to always do it respectfully.
Even thus we have the same origin, our personalities and path are very different. When we were young, I was the rebellious one and her the serious and disciplined young girl. And then her diagnostic crashed on her... on us as a matter of fact. In her book, there's a passage where she mentions that I never really talked to her about her disease.. It's true.... for many reasons. First of all, I always refused to see her differently because of multiple sclerosis. She's my sister, that's it. Second of all, I never doubt that she was determine and strong enough to overcome it. Finally, I never really spoke to her about it because I am unable to... that simple... Being profoundly sensible and emotional I could never find the strength to speak to her about it... I was afraid I would collapse and I was telling myself that she didn't need that...
I accompanied her the best I could... always being there for her.... or almost... Unfortunately, a disagreement have taken us apart for a few months... this is where my metamorphosis starts... A seed was planted and it's sprouting would have major effects in me... However... these change would take lots of time before being visible... before I, myself, realised changes were happening. I must admit that since our reconciliation, I do not see her the same way I use too... Not that she changesd her profound nature... rather I am the one who changed the way I see life.
I learned to be more flexible, more open... to accept difference and to open myself to other realities...
I modified my diet, trying vegetarianism for a while.... Seeing the positive impact it had on my sister, I told myself that it could only be positive for me too... As I was mentioning at the beginning, it didn't work out. But the way I eat is still much better that it use to be.
I believed, and I was wrong, that the metamorphosis would stop there... I have never made a bigger mistake. Seeing my sister evolve, metamorphose, giving herself wings and start to fly was a real revelation to me. To see someone close to me being able to make the choice to live HER life, according to HER desire and HER passions will have open my eyes. We all "know" people like that, we've read their story in the newspaper, we saw a movie of their life. Those people inspire us for a few hours, maybe a few days, but the impact they have on our lives are rarely lasting, and soon enough, we go back to our old habits, to our habitual life schemes.
The impact is much more lasting and deep when it's someone around us. This will have had unexpected impacts on my life. This text allows me to mention it for the first time, to share it with you.
I now understand that what will have had the biggest impact on me is voluntary simplicity... A concept that I do not always approve of... I am an assume capitalist after all! But now those two concept are no longer in total contradiction. Of course for most, voluntary simplicity rimes with poverty. This is translated, for most of us, to live a life of deprivation and abandon of material possessions. This is what my sister did... At least this is what I believed. But she did much more than that... It's her mind that she cleared from all the useless stuff. Voluntary simplicity brings you to simplify your life much more than you environment.
It's by adhering to that philosophy that she will have had the biggest impact on me. Without even realizing it, I started questioning, revising my life principles, my values. I looked at my life in a different way and compared it to what I had wish for. I realized that I did, indeed, had a talent to complicate my life. I also realized that I was on the wrong path and that I was not living MY life but this conventional life, similar to that of millions of others.
I awaken... it was brutal, painful even... but so beneficial! This revelation allowed me to "clean up" my life. Without ever rushing me or question me, my sister help me find where I should be exactly. I will finally accept discomfort, a new form of insecurities, very different from that I was used to. I will have manage to simplify my life, determine more precisely my objectives, my true desires, to determine in which way I no longer wish to live, what I no longer want to accept.
I had dreams.... a long time ago... Life will have brought me to forget about them... Like it does to all of us... I found them back... Of course they are, at the same time magnificent and terrifying... Magnificent because they will allow me to live MY life, the one I always wanted to have. Terrifying, because they require major changes that come with uncertainties... But I wish to go all the way. Never mind what will happen, I will at least have peace of mind and know, deep down, that I did all I could... only that is worth it.
This is why, in the end, I agreed to write to you. To pay tribute to my big sister, this inspiring woman who decided to follow her path against all odds. She did it for herself of course, and seeing the results she decided to publish a book where she shares with us her experience. What she ignores however is the impact of her actions is much bigger than she can imagine. The changes she inspires you to make are profound and indelible. I go at my own pace of course... But thanks to her I find MY path...
I accompanied her the best I could... always being there for her.... or almost... Unfortunately, a disagreement have taken us apart for a few months... this is where my metamorphosis starts... A seed was planted and it's sprouting would have major effects in me... However... these change would take lots of time before being visible... before I, myself, realised changes were happening. I must admit that since our reconciliation, I do not see her the same way I use too... Not that she changesd her profound nature... rather I am the one who changed the way I see life.
I learned to be more flexible, more open... to accept difference and to open myself to other realities...
I modified my diet, trying vegetarianism for a while.... Seeing the positive impact it had on my sister, I told myself that it could only be positive for me too... As I was mentioning at the beginning, it didn't work out. But the way I eat is still much better that it use to be.
I believed, and I was wrong, that the metamorphosis would stop there... I have never made a bigger mistake. Seeing my sister evolve, metamorphose, giving herself wings and start to fly was a real revelation to me. To see someone close to me being able to make the choice to live HER life, according to HER desire and HER passions will have open my eyes. We all "know" people like that, we've read their story in the newspaper, we saw a movie of their life. Those people inspire us for a few hours, maybe a few days, but the impact they have on our lives are rarely lasting, and soon enough, we go back to our old habits, to our habitual life schemes.
The impact is much more lasting and deep when it's someone around us. This will have had unexpected impacts on my life. This text allows me to mention it for the first time, to share it with you.
I now understand that what will have had the biggest impact on me is voluntary simplicity... A concept that I do not always approve of... I am an assume capitalist after all! But now those two concept are no longer in total contradiction. Of course for most, voluntary simplicity rimes with poverty. This is translated, for most of us, to live a life of deprivation and abandon of material possessions. This is what my sister did... At least this is what I believed. But she did much more than that... It's her mind that she cleared from all the useless stuff. Voluntary simplicity brings you to simplify your life much more than you environment.
It's by adhering to that philosophy that she will have had the biggest impact on me. Without even realizing it, I started questioning, revising my life principles, my values. I looked at my life in a different way and compared it to what I had wish for. I realized that I did, indeed, had a talent to complicate my life. I also realized that I was on the wrong path and that I was not living MY life but this conventional life, similar to that of millions of others.
I awaken... it was brutal, painful even... but so beneficial! This revelation allowed me to "clean up" my life. Without ever rushing me or question me, my sister help me find where I should be exactly. I will finally accept discomfort, a new form of insecurities, very different from that I was used to. I will have manage to simplify my life, determine more precisely my objectives, my true desires, to determine in which way I no longer wish to live, what I no longer want to accept.
I had dreams.... a long time ago... Life will have brought me to forget about them... Like it does to all of us... I found them back... Of course they are, at the same time magnificent and terrifying... Magnificent because they will allow me to live MY life, the one I always wanted to have. Terrifying, because they require major changes that come with uncertainties... But I wish to go all the way. Never mind what will happen, I will at least have peace of mind and know, deep down, that I did all I could... only that is worth it.
This is why, in the end, I agreed to write to you. To pay tribute to my big sister, this inspiring woman who decided to follow her path against all odds. She did it for herself of course, and seeing the results she decided to publish a book where she shares with us her experience. What she ignores however is the impact of her actions is much bigger than she can imagine. The changes she inspires you to make are profound and indelible. I go at my own pace of course... But thanks to her I find MY path...
So here it is... as I am done translating and getting ready to publish... I Once again have tears in my eyes... And I do not know what to add... beside that the impact I have on my brother and on other people is exactly why I write... I really wish to help people find their dreams... their path... their LIFE... I did it... at my own rhythm... because I was forced to... but I wish for others to be able to do it before being forced to... at their pace... in their own ways... and I think I am doing just that...
THANK YOU little bro!!!!
and by the way my brother is a photograph... you can check his picture here and his facebook page here
I am always happy to hear from you... do not hesitate to contact me!!!
Don't forget to check out my Facebook page.... or personal profile... connect with me on twitter or google +...
love and peace,
nath
xox
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