The world is on fire, and it is truly horrific to read the papers these days. Ukraine, Gaza, Syria, Guinee, South-Sudan, MH17, I keep on reading the newspapers. I know it’s bad for the soul, but as a human I feel I need to know. As if it will lighten the burden of those in danger or grief in some inexplicable way.

My husband says there’s no use. That it is naive and nonsense to compare. But I feel it’s necessary. It’s so easy to become caught up in one’s personal ‘problems’. Money, cars, neighbours, paperwork, going back to Amsterdam. There are so many people in this world who don’t have the simple basics we live with. I feel we shouldn’t get caught up in feeling sorry, because that indeed won’t make a difference. Nor being angry about it, anger just accumulates more anger. The only thing that feels right is to feel deeply grateful for what we do have. Because grace accumulates grace, and it triggers love and light. And that are the only things we really do need on this planet right now.

And so today I have been deeply grateful. Our fabulous neighbours took the kids to the beach and as T is in Amsterdam I have spent a day alone. The first in a very long time. Happiness can be so simple.

A three hour walk in the forrest.

Morning coffee in front of the house.

Today’s harvest: Butterbeans, beautiful flowers, water from the well and good wine.