Wedding season

I am currently on my way to Romania, where, on Saturday, I will attend the wedding of one of my brothers. I guess I haven't fully realized it yet... my brother is getting married! Ten years ago, when I was getting married, my other brother was still a child; now he's about to finish his university studies. My sister was no more than a teenager; today she's a woman. And my brother, well, he's getting married! True, it was a different century back then. But, still, how come did time go by so fast? Amazing... The wedding is taking place in Cluj-Napoca, where my brother lives, and his fiancee grew-up. Apparently he got himself a nice life there. Big house, and cars and dog and everything. And now a wife. Soon there will be kids and I will finally become an uncle; I think I'll make up for a good uncle. There will be uncles attending the wedding too; not all of them though, because Romania is far away from Portugal. But my parents, and my sister, and my other brother will be there. And Francisco, of course. I don't remember when was the last time I was with my parents abroad, least with all the family. I think this will be fun. Nowadays, we don't get to see each others often. And being all together happens once every second year only, when Francisco spends Christmas with me. So, yeah, it will be fun for sure. Ten years ago, who would have said that one day I would be traveling from Brussels to Romania, alone, to attend my brother's wedding? No one, probably; not me, for sure. And yet, here I am: traveling from Brussels to Romania, alone, to attend my brother's wedding. Funny how life surprises us and changes our plans... Still, and to make it clear, I am not complaining. All in all, these surprises have been mostly nice and positive and my life today is much better than I could have planned it ten years ago. Of course, I made mistakes and did things I shouldn't have done. Of course I regret having done some of those things. But I came to accept the fact that mistakes are unavoidable elements of life, and that as long as we learn from them and don't repeat them (much), we can always grow stronger and happier. And happy I am! After the wedding, upon my return to Brussels, I will start with my new job at the European Movement International. My formal appointment took place last Saturday, at the Federal Assembly in Prague, and I must say I am very much looking forward to taking this new challenge up. But, what makes me really happy, in spite of the time difference and the distance, is a certain smile I know. A smile that works as the sunshine in the morning, and as the hand that rocks the cradle in the evening. A smile I don't get tired of and spend the days longing for. And a smile I hope to see reflecting back at me soon. Inch'allah!