LUXEMBOURG!

7^th Stop: Luxembourg-Arlon, Belgium-St. Vith, Belgium

Emblem of the Country

Luxembourg City, the name even sounds like it’s rich, and the ranking as the highest standard of living city doesn’t disappoint. Perhaps not everyone knows this country, as it is quite a small country, but not the smallest in Europe. This city is part of the European Triangle that makes the center of Europe-Strasbourg, Luxembourg, and Brussels- political powers of Europe. 

However as always I’m far less interested in these facts, but much more thrilled to meet the people of the country. I was visiting another friend I met back in Italy and without doubt she welcomed me into her home, her family and all the rest. Perhaps I really didn’t meet that many Luxembourg-ish people as my friend was originally from Lebanon. Also others I had met were from Poland, Eritrea, Vietnam, and Portugal. But I guess that gives a good sense of the country, many immigrants have settled into this country and they speak at least French, English, German, and Luxembourgish. 

Only until I started learning Italian, I realized the importance of learning languages. With knowing English, almost everybody speaks it, Italian it obviously helps me in Italy, but actually also in Switzerland (there’s an Italian part), a little Cantonese gets me nowhere because Chinese people don’t speak much, and a little French helped me to ask for directions (I can actually understand so much better since I know Italian). All the rest you manage using gestures, head nods, body language and the universal smile. =)

I try to smile everywhere and to anybody because it’s the easiest way to spread some love and happiness to people you don’t know. 

You should try!

But anyhow the first day we did some indoor climbing in Belgium, it’s that easy literally from Lux to Arlon, Belgium. At first, it was quite scary, as you want to feel that you are secured every step. But after a while I realized you gotta take risks, stretch to what seems out of reach and overcome the feeling of fear, in the end to finish at your goal. I guess that’s what Life is about, going out of yourself when you are unsecure, and scared. But how many of us do?

climbling!

Many of us stay in the same way of life, do the same thing day in and day out, plan our whole life as if we can control the outcome of everything. Some regret things that occurred in the past or either worry anxiously of the plans for the future. But isn’t LIFE more than just HAVING a secure career, having the best grades, HAVING the latest technology, having a girl/boyfriend.

Lfie is nto aubot HVANIG. (Cna yuo raed?)

LIFE is not about HAVING.

It is about GIVING and SHARING

G-I-V-I-N-G

S-H-A-R-I-N-G

Giving a smile or hug, sharing your lunch, giving a hand, sharing a story, giving up your chair, giving a call, sharing yourself, giving TIME-the most precious of all, and sharing your TALENTS.

When I was young, my greatest fear was public speaking, I remember my legs would go numb, my hands would shake, and my palms would go cold. I dreaded the public 5 minute speech I had to make every year since I was in primary school. Even in highschool I didn’t enjoy much of the presentations, drama skits, and making myself look like a fool. After these years, after all the failures, I actually love speaking with people, talking in front of crowds, and SHARING a talent I never realized I had.

that's ME

When I went to the Lux-Belgium Mariapolis while I was in Luxembourg, they knew I had come from Loppiano (Italy for 9 months), and they asked me to SHARE an experience or something between the performances at the traditional show on the last night. First of, I just went there for the day with my friend, I knew just a handful out of the 700 people, and prepared nothing to say. But of course, I didn’t hesitate but said YES. 

I would never imagine in a million years if you told me 10 years ago to do the same thing and I would actually willingly agree to speak infront of 700 people unprepared. Being able to speak about something just on the spot with such confidence didn’t just come so easy, it took learning from FAILURES, taking risks, overcoming the instinct of FEAR, and years of PRACTICE.

and that was the Focolare Family in Belgium-Lux

we were born to develop our talents, and most importantly SHARE them, no one has the same talents because each individual is UNIque.

So SHARE YOURS!

I basically was sharing that on this European tour I’m doing, I really wanted to visit the Focolare in Belgium too, just like I have been in every other country. However it was in Belgium that I didn’t have a place to stay. I didn’t worry about it too much, just tried to live the PRESENT MOMENT in the task at hand, with the person infront of me in wherever I was at that particular moment. So when I went to the Mariapolis in Belgium for the day, I met a lady in the washroom while I was washing my hands. She introduced herself with a smile and warm welcome and soon after asked if I had a place to stay? We had just met! So when people try to love one another treating OTHERS as themselves, we really become one HUMAN FAMILY.. So wherever I go on this trip I feel just at home because everyone around tries to bring this LOVE wherever they may be to whoever in the PRESENT MOMENT.

So I think you should TRY to SPREAD the LOVE in each moment!

the LUX fam<3

 “Truth of Truth is Love, Truth of Love is FREEDOM.”