F is for Frieda

Sometimes two seemingly unrelated happenings form such a perfect match that it is uncanny. At such times I need to remind myself that it's I that makes this link and were it not for that fact they would indeed be random. One of the events was our last task for The Documented Life Project 2014. I wasn't even sure I would do this till the task showed up. It was: "Draw or collage something that begins with the first letter of your first name". And that was combined with the other event: today's date: 29/12/14. For the significance of that I need to go back 35 years in time to the 29/12/79 and that brings me to the day I first arrived in the UK. So, including some years spend in the Republic of Ireland, I have been here for 35 years. I have lived in the UK far longer than in The Netherlands now and am a British Citizen (and very proud of the fact). Today it's very foggy and cold but 35 years ago it was very windy and wet. A fact that had quite an impact on the ferry crossing! Fortunately I don't suffer from seasickness otherwise I might never have made it.

I always take note of this date, the 29th December, over the years. I don't celebrate but I do commemorate. I think about it over the day with much joy and barely any regret. I am where I want to be, at home.

But this year it was the 35th anniversary and I did want to do something for the occasion. This task and resulting page proved perfect.  Needless to say those 35 years haven't always been easy. Regardless of what people may think (and the subject has become very topical!) every migrant has to deal with many difficult issues, both large and small. How they deal with them determines whether they stay or go. My decision to stay dates back almost to that very day, the 29th December 1979, but that doesn't mean it has been easy, specially over the first years. It has made me who I am today and I have added a few words starting with F that signify that. I am a female fighter who loves her freedom, who is full of flames of passion and filled with fire. And other F words. In fact when stressed I use my initials as a swear word! Murmuring Foxtrot Oscar under my breath brings relief, specially as it leaves most people mystified.

Once I started to brainstorm F words for the task I was amazed by how many I could find that were applicable to me and to this day. As for the collage part of the task, I cheated! I used a photograph of a quilt I made back in 2008, called Flames of Passion. It seemed made for this occasion (more synchronicity!) and even included an image of Frida  Kahlo (see above), one of my favourite artists, as well as many other things I feel passionate about.

I loved putting this page together and liked the fact I could make it larger (7 x 8") to fit into my new planner. I glued it into one of the first pages as you can see at the top of this post. It felt very appropriate to begin a new 2015 planner by reminding myself of who and what I am.

I also received issue 2 of Mabel Magazine, subtitled: Making a Livng. Creating a Life. This magazine is as far as I have been able to discover not yet available in the UK. I order it directly from the States but be warned the shipping costs are steep. Worth it though, in my opinion. And it arrives very quickly.

Here is the quotation that grabbed me as soon as I read it:

Every endeavor and every life contains unexpected bends in the road that open up new perspectives, and beautiful moments that might have at first appeared ugly, as well as difficult moments, which taught us the best lessons we didn't know we needed to learn.