Lifelist Accomplishment #26

Lifelist # 26  "Witnessed a solar eclipse"

It was in the year of 1999. A warm summer day that turned almost as dark as the night. Back then, my photography skills were not good at all, so there is no better picture than this one. But I did find a picture online from the same town and the same year:

A total solar eclipse happens when the moon moves in front of the sun, so really, it moves in between sun and earth, covering the sun, so it gets dark.
It was pretty cool to watch this event, even if it only lasted for a few minutes, literally.

The Easter Walk

There are certain moments from my childhood, that I will never forget. It's sweet memories and they make me all warm inside. Though Christmas is still one of my favorite memories, Easter could be right behind it....

It seems that Easter is not a big deal here in America. So far, I don't have a specific time that is dear to my heart - YET! I DO want to change that. I DO want my kids to remember Easter as family time with family traditions, not just Easter egg hunts and Easter service in church. Not that it is not important to teach them what Easter really means - believe me, Coqui's schooling this week was heavy on the Easter story! But it is also a time for family.

So my family would gather together, usually on Saturday or Sunday, though there was not a set day for this, and we would read this poem written by, probably, THE most famous German writer. It's Goethe, who wrote Faust. Now, I think most of you have at least heard of him. So in the book Faust, there is a poem called "The Easter Walk". It's a beautiful poem that we all read, one after the other. After sooooo many years, I can still recite it by heart. So today, I wanted to share that with you, first in German, in it's original language, and then I found a translation online  - so you would understand what it means.

Vor dem Tor

Vom Eise befreit sind Strom und Bäche
Durch des Frühlings holden, belebenden Blick,
Im Tale grünet Hoffnungsglück;
Der alte Winter, in seiner Schwäche,
Zog sich in rauhe Berge zurück.
Von dort her sendet er, fliehend, nur
Ohnmächtige Schauer körnigen Eises
In Streifen über die grünende Flur.
Aber die Sonne duldet kein Weißes,
Überall regt sich Bildung und Streben,
Alles will sie mit Farben beleben;
Doch an Blumen fehlts im Revier,
Sie nimmt geputzte Menschen dafür.
Kehre dich um, von diesen Höhen
Nach der Stadt zurück zu sehen!
Aus dem hohlen finstern Tor
Dringt ein buntes Gewimmel hervor.
Jeder sonnt sich heute so gern.
Sie feiern die Auferstehung des Herrn,
Denn sie sind selber auferstanden:
Aus niedriger Häuser dumpfen Gemächern,
Aus Handwerks- und Gewerbesbanden,
Aus dem Druck von Giebeln und Dächern,
Aus der Straßen quetschender Enge,
Aus der Kirchen ehrwürdiger Nacht
Sind sie alle ans Licht gebracht.
Sieh nur, sieh! wie behend sich die Menge
Durch die Gärten und Felder zerschlägt,
Wie der Fluß in Breit und Länge
So manchen lustigen Nachen bewegt,
Und, bis zum Sinken überladen,
Entfernt sich dieser letzte Kahn.
Selbst von des Berges fernen Pfaden
Blinken uns farbige Kleider an.
Ich höre schon des Dorfs Getümmel,
Hier ist des Volkes wahrer Himmel,
Zufrieden jauchzet groß und klein:
Hier bin ich Mensch, hier darf ichs sein!

(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust I)

From Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: "Faust", translation by Edgar Alfred Bowring, 1853

From the ice they are freed, the stream and brook,
By the Spring's enlivening, lovely look;
The valley's green with joys of hope;
The Winter old and weak ascends
Back to the rugged mountain slope.

From there, as he flees, he downward sends
An impotent shower of icy hail
Streaking over the verdant vale.
Ah! but the Sun will suffer no white,

Growth and formation stir everywhere,
'Twould fain with colours make all things bright,

Though in the landscape are no blossoms fair.
Instead it takes gay-decked humanity.

Now turn around and from this height,
Looking backward, townward see.

Forth from the cave-like, gloomy gate
Crowds a motley and swarming array.

Everyone suns himself gladly today.
The Risen Lord they celebrate,

For they themselves have now arisen
From lowly houses' mustiness,
From handicraft's and factory's prison,
From the roof and gables that oppress,

From the bystreets' crushing narrowness,
From the churches' venerable night,
They are all brought out into light.
See, only see, how quickly the masses
Scatter through gardens and fields remote;
How down and across the river passes
So many a merry pleasure-boat.

And over-laden, almost sinking,
The last full wherry moves away.
From yonder hill's far pathways blinking,
Flash to us colours of garments gay.

Hark! Sounds of village joy arise;
Here is the people's paradise,

Contented, great and small shout joyfully:
"Here I am Man, here dare it to be!"

HAPPY EASTER from my family to yours!

Soccer and German pride gone missing

For those of you who don't know it yet, the World Cup is about to begin. And why do I know that? Well, I am not a soccer fan. But I become one when it is time for the World or the Europe Cup. Then I start to cheer for.... well Germany of course! And I do get very upset if we fail... like the last... eh, let me think about that! Can't actually remember? Well, I do remember 1990! But who doesn't??? Put all this to the side....

My hubby reads the Wall Street Journal, yes, like on a daily basis. So I should be well informed!? Not really, but at least twice or three times the week, I get a link to an article HE thinks I could be interested in. Well, most of the time, I am. Like today when I got an article about the German Eleven not knowing the national anthem.... What's that? Just kidding. But that got me thinking...

Apparently, there is a debate going if, or if not, the national soccer team representing Germany should be able to sign the anthem. What do you think???

I think, and this is just my minor opinion, that they should! I do understand that in times of globalization, not all the players are German anymore. But I actually think they should be! I mean, this is country playing (!) against country, there is some pride involved. SO I (!) think they should be German AND be able to sign our national anthem! But, as I said, this is just what I think.....

I would have eventually written about this some time sooner or later, and that is the comparison of pride of different nations. I lived in France, Germany and America, and the US is by far the leading figure here! Oh yes! Kids get drilled in schools for that. And France is not far behind. So why not in my beautiful homeland???
There is history involved!!! And I am sure that you all can guess what I am talking about! Yep, it is sad to say but since the two world wars, Germans are not really patriotic anymore, more like dispassionate about being German! I am sure that they had to learn it. It must not have been easy. But believe me when I am saying, even in my generation, I was hit with that hatred and it shocked me, because neither I not my parents fought in the war, it was my grandparents! But I was shunned for being German, yes, in France. But nonetheless, as German, you are careful about being too pride. Or at least that's how it used to be not long ago. I also lived for a short period of time through the feeling of not being proud of my country - that must have coincidented with the history lessons we were given at that time!?! There are no patriotic gestures, or at least there were close to none when I left the country! Since then it seems like people are becoming more comfortable with exhibiting national pride, like during sport events, and become a little more nationalistic. The article mentioned that it started with the World Cup in 2006. Who knows. But now, you can go and see some flags up, mostly in regions with large tourism or near borders. But that is a start! And I am glad for it.

And even me, I have become a little more patriotic, living in a different country, and especially at times of the soccer World Cup. So let the games begin! And Germany win for once.....

By the way, here is our lovely anthem called "The Song of the Germans":

The Song of the Germans

Unity and law and freedom

For the German Fatherland

Let us all strive for that

In brotherhood with heart and hand!

Unity and law and freedom

Are the foundation for happiness

Bloom in the glow of happiness

Bloom, German Fatherland