Starting a new cycle

© aNadventures

March 22, 2014. That was seven years ago. It was a Saturday. I boarded a plane from Izmir to Berlin, returning to my home town of choice after having lived in Turkey for 1.5 years.

Most cells of the human body are replaced by fresh cells within seven years, on average. So it’s safe to say I’m not nearly the same person I was back then. I’m a new person in flesh and blood. But I’ve also renewed myself mind- and soul-wise. I’ve changed on so many levels. Where to start? 

I consider myself richer than seven years ago. Richer in experience, patience, knowledge, self-confidence, compassion and emotional bonds. 

In the past seven years, I’ve experienced reverse culture shock and readaptation. I’ve earnt a second diploma and worked with different companies in various fields. I’ve fallen in and out of love. I’ve invested in durable friendships. I’ve dealt with health issues and have established healthy routines. I’ve decluttered both my flat and my soul. I’ve enjoyed adventures near and far. 

In the past seven years, I almost moved to Switzerland. I learnt Italian. I walked the Camino Portugués. I attended the Carnival in Barranquilla, Colombia. I enrolled in a Masters Programme in Creative Writing, a life changing decision. I kept up this blog and I developed a passion for poetry. 

In the past seven years, I returned to Turkey twice. I’ve seen dear friends getting married and having kids. In the meantime, I’ve been accomplishing missions of my very own kind. I’ve even done things my teenage self would have been proud of such as expressing my feelings. 

I’ve come to deeply cherish my new self. But my new self wouldn’t be myself without my old self. In the last few years, I’ve come to deeply bond with all parts of myself. The childish and the adult ones. The sad and the euphoric ones. The vulnerable and the strong ones. All of these and many more make me who I am. 

Like a giraffe, I’ve been constantly stretching my neck. I’ve been growing with every challenge, with every day. Lately, I’ve been thinking about circles a lot. About cycles, to be precise. There’s the female cycle. There’s the lunar cycle. And there’s the cycle of the four seasons. Life isn’t linear. It’s circular. Even if it seems rectangularly reluctant, at times. So, here’s to an accomplished seven-year-cycle. Here’s to being a fresh human being. Here’s to a new start. 

How about YOU? What comes to mind when you reflect on the past seven years?