portugal

Smile Right Back

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It was another beautiful day in mind and spirit, and it was smiling at you. Hope you smiled right back. Yes, the desert may be arduous to cross sometimes, the mountain steep leaving you to feel that your life is insignificant but it is often promising as there is always a bright light at the end of the tunnel. Keep going. Keep marching. Don’t look back. Open the door and smile at it and its purpose. Climb up the stairs of the restaurant. Celebrate its perfectly lined up menu and embrace it. Be grateful. Stay still. Move that mountain. Rejoice. Tomorrow is always another day but often beautiful. Don’t let the curtain go down on you. Smile right back at it.

Photo: Ouro River that runs through Porto and Vila Nova da Gaia, Portugal

Really, What Is Love?

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I was visiting Cascais, a posh city in the outskirts of Lisbon, Portugal, enjoying the scenery when I came in contact this couple. I loved their chemistry; one could see that they are very much in love from afar. I even shared that with them but what stunned me the most was her daring attitude towards… the cliff. I guess love is full or it makes you do foolish things or one just goes nuts over the uncontrollable feelings that make your heart melt and you jumping for joy, over the moon?! This is the only explanation I could come with for her standing there without a care in the world?!

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It reminded me of Romeo and Juliet. I mean, while he was quietly sitting on the brick wall, she was calmly standing in front of him this close to a precipice; yes a precipice. One little miscalculation one wrong step and she would have been yesterday’s news. But she didn’t care. She was oblivious to it all. She kept going, doing what lovebirds do, cuddling like there was no tomorrow and I snapping pictures. Too bad I did not ask for their emails. I am pretty sure they would have been happy with these.

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So that got me thinking, about love. Yes, love!

What is Love? Really, what is love?

Love is the food of our soul. The seed of our heart. The feeling that drives us to the object of our desires. It is affection, passion, excitement. It is light, joy, pain, suffering. It is heaven. It is peace.

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Love is tranquility.

We are love. We are loved.

We are a slice of love, the open envelope of our destiny, the gateway to understanding and compassion for one another.

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We are a diamond in the rough, the jewel of the sea, the beacon of the lighthouse that shines brightly through our everyday actions and struggles as we ride through the boulevards of life.

We are love. We are loved. We celebrate love every day, every moment.

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Love is sound. Love is melody echoing deeply in our ears, radiating peaceful love tunes of harmony, fraternity and mutual understanding.

Love is unassuming and generous. Love is wisdom. Love is infinite. Love is fulfillment.

Love is love!

Claus Porto / Ach Brito Soaps

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A collection of fine soaps produced in Porto, Portugal, since 1887.

http://www.clausporto.com/catalogo/
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I just love the designs; they are gorgeous.

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The best soaps ever! They are as big as my hands (not really) 6 ½” X 4” and they last … let’s say I started using one on January 16 and it is still going. They are luscious and very silky. They have also been feature on O Magazine as one of Oprah’s favorite things.