an ode to the countryside

I spent countless days, months, years here…. In those times, I was so sure of who I was. My dreams were vivid, my confidence unwavering. Every game, every story I concocted in this sacred space seemed to cement my identity.

Now, every time I go back, I am enveloped by a profound sense of nostalgia. The air is still perfumed with the same earthy scent and blooming flowers, and the sunlight filters through the windows in the same dappled patterns. Yet, there is a bittersweet tinge to these visits. I am acutely aware of the passage of time and the loss of certainty. The child who once roamed freely is now an adult, burdened with responsibilities and doubts, dreading the day she’ll be without her foundational heroes: her parents.

But perhaps that is the essence of youth – a time when confidence comes naturally, before the complexities of life seep in. It was a period of unguarded optimism, where the world was vast and full of possibilities, and every experience was a lesson in discovery. This place, steadfast and unchanged, reminds me of that unburdened version of myself, of the pure, untainted belief in my own potential. Today, it is my safe space, my comfort zone, my return to childhood.

location: portugal