The First Time

The first certificate I reckoned would take me places.

The first time I traveled solo to a foreign country. My first hidden piece of writing. The first time I began to earn for myself. My first cheque in my hand. The euphoria of my first acceptance letter. The first time I spoke to someone in another language. The first time I cooked.

When I came to Germany, I had promised myself to embark on this journey with a full heart, to experience everything my will could extend to. I have not fully explored anything, yet. I am somewhere in between, residing in moments. But one of the greatest joys I would take with myself is the Christmas I spent with new people I had just met.

Ah, Christmas! I fall short of words when I think of it. It is a whole new sentiment – of joy, love, and openness. A day before the month of December began, Lisa bought me an advent calendar to mark my days to Christmas. My first advent calendar!

I was already feeling so loved with the present. I won’t lie but I ate some of the chocolates from it before the day had arrived. Of course, they were irresistible! She also bought some beautiful and gleeful Christmas candles for the kitchen. I would describe it as one of those early spring landscapes in full bloom – the kind that speaks in colours. The only difference being, the bells, and ribbons hanging around it to mark the occasion – a meticulous green for the entire scene, a vivid red for some love, and a little pop of gold for the sparkle.

A week before Christmas, we indulged in baking traditional Christmas cookies, keeping the spirits of the month alive. I noticed one of the candles lit and heard about the abstraction behind it. “How beautiful are traditions!” I said to myself. The entire evening, I was bewitched with the stories I heard of my friends and their childhood Christmas shenanigans.

I was sitting at a side rolling the cookie dough; however, my soul was swaying with the sweet melodies of Christmas. The music touched my soul and you could hear me humming along. The cookies were delightful, immersed further into the colours of the rainbow. There were cookies, some Christmas music, childhood stories, candles, and adorable people. Everything was as pretty as a picture.

There is beauty hidden in not knowing something. Like Christmas, for me.  And when the time comes, the right people make you feel that beauty of spaces and moments. Although my first Christmas experience was during a lockdown, my flatmates made sure it felt special.

There’s a first time for everything and this was one of those – home, cozy, and the right mix of people.