“You must be the change you want to see in your life” - Mahatma Gandhi

Welcome spring, "blossom by blossom the spring begins" and while in certain parts of the World people are back to confinement and all around the World everything seems uncertain in terms of traveling, let’s make sure to stay positive. 
“In order to carry a positive action, we must develop here a positive vision.” - Dalai Lama.
I am all about quotes today… all the time, but they are my mantras, they help me keep my intentions alive.
Perhaps it seems easy to say and I consider myself lucky to be where I am in life, but things do not always come easily. I grew up, and now teach my kids, with the conviction that, God, or whoever, whatever, is there, whether it is the universe itself or some God, it helps those who help themselves. One step at a time, by cultivating happiness we will be able to live our own life, our perfectly imperfect life. Remember “it is better to live in your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else’s life with perfection” - The Bhagavad Gita. 
Personally, to cultivate a happy state of mind, I like to make a daily objective, so it seems easier to reach and if I fail, I just try again the next day. 
For example, today I decided to not stress this afternoon, cannot do it for a whole day yet! I did all my chores this morning and right now I am relaxing by my American parents’ pound while the kids are playing. 
Yesterday I decided that, to everyone I would talk to, I would ask how they are doing, get to know them more and recognize them for who they are, even my husband! 
On a long-term engagement, I shared with you that I am trying to change my habits to respect our environment more. I am still far from my objectives and it is frustrating as, every day, I see something I should do differently. But what did I say? One step at a time, one change after another.
One tip on how to not lose it: to organize my mind and specially to stop stressing about everything that need to be done, I have a list, I am trying to keep it to one and not on several sticky notes and it is with me all the time so I can add, cross, adjust anytime. 
This is me, maybe you can relate, maybe you cannot but what is beautiful is that we can share, explore our own experiences, and learn from each other’s. What I want to come to is finding a way to be balanced and I like to do it with you. We are all part of the same universe, no matter how different we are, we are made the same way, part of the same beautiful World and we balance each others more than we can imagine. You are important to me as I see myself in you, each of us are a piece of one masterpiece. And I understand, respect, if you disagree, I always believed but I changed my practices over the years and I am attracted to hear everyone's thoughts, convictions, I relate to a lot of different things sometimes even paradoxical ones. 

Thank you for taking the time to click to my Journal page and whether it is to find inspiration, to see how I am doing in my own mind or to get a recipe, thank you and let’s go back to an earthy theme, what is on the menu today? 
Amazingly simple pasta with red sauce paired with Clos Solène 2019 Fleur de Solène 
Pasta (Linguine or Spaghettis or tortellini …)
Pancetta and/or bacon
An onion 
Some Garlic (adjust for your taste)
Marinara sauce.
Cook your pasta, reserve (I like to add olive oil once waiting in a large bowl, so they do not stick)
In a fry pan cook your pancetta and/or bacon, quickly add the sliced onion and minced garlic.
Once slightly brown add a marinara sauce (you can add herbs depending on your taste)
Do not add any salt as the bacon is salted.
Cook for 5 minutes and poor over your pastas.
Once in your plate you can spread some shredded cheese on top. Et voilà! Bon appétit. 
Love & Light 
Solène