Whilst the temperatures are still stubbornly low here in Berlin, the sun has at least been fighting to make a much welcomed comeback and I for one am grateful. Whilst I will never attempt to deny my allergy to morning wake-up calls, I have to say, that the gentle light that has begun to beam through my window each morning, has been greatly helping me get up and out of bed at a far earlier time than previous weeks/months have seen. Okay, we may not be talking single digits here, but we are at least seeing the morning side of noon. It's a small accomplishment and damn it, I'm gonna run with it.
The sun's reappearance is somewhat shifting my day-to-day habits too; I suddenly feel far more encouraged to be outside again, even despite the chill. As I amble around the city, during the late afternoon, I can't help but become acutely aware that I'm actually able to see it once more, now that it's no longer cloaked in winter's murky shadows! It's eclectic architecture, it's abandoned bottles, the technicolour graffiti, I can see it all clearly once again and it's a little like being reacquainted by an old friend.
Admittedly, I, like many others, suffer awfully with Seasonal Affective Disorder during the winter months and there were so many moments during this particular winter, whereby I just wanted to book a flight to the nearest tropical location and never come back, but in the end, as gruesome as the past few months have indeed been at times, I truly am glad that I stuck it out. Sometimes, despite everything, you have to realise that the problem is less so the environment and more so, yourself and thus, it's ultimately irrelevant if you and your suitcase find yourself by the beach in Borneo, or holed up in a chilly Berlin apartment, because the issue will still be there, regardless.
If the past few years have taught me anything, it's that burying your head in the sand isn't going to solve things and that, for the most part, facing your demons actually works out a lot less scary than continually hiding from them. So here's to spring, may you bring all the warmth we so aptly deserve!
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