The Portraits

Back from my trip of faith in Israel, Jordan and Egypt, life seems slightly duller. What I enjoy the most about travelling or living abroad is the excitement of feeling disoriented, being a foreigner and waking up every morning not knowing what to expect of the day ahead. So to accommodate being back in Switzerland “for good”, to the best of my ability and creativity, I’ve been recalling that feeling of the unknown and the unexpected each morning. Sometimes, when we make believe, it actually becomes real.

In my bed, I start my day by syking myself up at thought that I will meet new people, I will see loads of people foreign to me, I will have coffee on a terrace and unexpected things will happen.

“You get what you ask for,” they say. I’ve met new people from very different backgrounds at the entrepreneurship class I’m taking. On the train, the bus and subway, I see so many unfamiliar faces. I meet up friends on terraces. And the most unexpected things have just been happening…

Like just right now. I’m sitting on the train on my way back from an amazing concert. It’s around midnight. I glance out the window and I see a guy wearing a fluorescent orange vest running on the street, followed by a car with flashing lights and a camping bus covered with advertising. Someone on the train says, “It’s that Italian guy who runs.”

This kind of random things. Did these things always happen in my life or did I just not notice them?

A couple of months ago, out of the blue, I had signed up to get my portrait painted. My mom had come across a flyer from some artist looking for models. The primary reason I volunteered was because it was free and second because I thought I’d be cool to see myself in a painting. La Joconde might have come to mind. Last Tuesday was the day. I showed up completely unprepared for what was going to happen.

I got to a house in the country, I mean, in the couuuuuuuntry. I was greeted by a hearty, high-pitched voice woman and her cat. In the house, there were bright-colored portraits everywhere. She explained that she had set out to paint five hundred portraits and then she would hold an exhibition. About forty portraits into the projects, she realized that she was clairvoyant. She “saw" things about her models.

About five minutes after starting the first painting (she paints three per model), she announced that I was a spiritual person and that coaching was the right profession for me. (Good news!) In the second painting, she “saw” my struggle to materialize my project. (Right on.) In the third, she declared that I’d get married soon. (Looks like my love strategy might be working after all – see last post.) I am only giving you the cliff notes of the experience. She went into great detail. It was simply mind-blowing.

My strategy to make Switzerland more like how I want to see it - surprising and exciting - is a success! “You get what you ask for.” True that.

And today I read this:

“Whether we meet the world with a loving heart or not will determine what we find:

A stranger walking toward the gates of a new city. By the side of the road sat an old wise woman who hailed the traveler: “Welcome.”
“What kind of people are they who live here?” the traveler asked.
“How did you find them in the home city you left?” asked the old woman.
“They were gossips, mean-spirited, and often selfish. Difficult to get along with.”
“You’ll find the people of this city to be likewise.”
Later, a second stranger passed by and was welcomed by the old woman.
“What kind of people are they who live here?” the second traveler asked.
“How did you find them in the home city you left?” asked the old woman.
“They were fine people – industrious, open-minded, and easy to get along with.”
“You’ll find the people of this city to be likewise.”

- The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness and Peace by Jack Kornfield