My summer wish list

I sat at the beach with a magazine in my lap. The sea had an amazing sparkle to it, as if all mighty hands sprinkled glitter on the surface: silver, golden, turquoise. The seagulls were flying high, screeching like they usually do, so sad and so wild at the same time; their calls always seem to invite me to join them. There were three women and eight children behind me, creating commotion in the sand, their golden locks in the air, blue eyes and tiny hands full of life … They were building sand-castles together, bridges and mysterious tunnels, a whole world of their own, right there in the sand. I used to do the same when I was a child and we would go to the beach in Cesenatico in the summers, and the world was just perfect. And it’s still perfect, in a way, when I finally decompress and get ready for life, with a capital L, with new friends and all the people I have yet to meet. I think about projects the size of mountains, but I never believed that nothing could be impossible: if I can envision them, it’s like they’re already in the palm of my hand.

Photo and make-up Biljana Babic

Photo and make-up Biljana Babic

I love life and the slow days, when crickets keep me company in the evenings and the sky is full of stars; with a bit of luck I can see a comet, like I did a few nights ago, and the endless velvet drape, stretching its corners in front of me simply takes my breath away. Sometimes I think I want to be a part of this tapestry or at least be able to fly up close to it; but then I remember they only shine when we look at them from the Earth, so it’s better to stay here, stick our noses in the air and catch another moment of this perfect beauty. I have lots of wishes for this summer. I also have lots of drawers, waiting patiently to be tidied. It’s not just my closet, but compartments of my life, which slowly become overflowing with everything, so it’s time to start giving things away. But just like with my actual closet, I first have to take everything out, dust it and disinfect it, and only then begin to select the things that I still find useful. I don’t need much; good relationships and my Sofia’s gaze, as insightful as ever, her sensitivity and intelligence, which can see right to the bottom of my soul. And then says out loud, what it is that she found down there … Always so unknown and so true at the same time.

Photo and make-up Biljana Babic

Photo and make-up Biljana Babic

I wrote a list of wishes that I would like to make reality by the end of the summer. Nothing major or impossible, just wishes that have been floating in the air around me for a while now, and have become so powerful that I simply have put them to rest. I don’t want everything to pass me by, and so this summer I’m putting myself first. For the first time in a while and most importantly, without a guilty conscience. I’ve decided to share with you, my dear readers and friends, the things that have been weighting down on my soul; I look forward to your thoughts and comments, because I firmly believe you have your own wish list waiting and waiting to become reality. Perhaps the summer is their time and perhaps we are now ready to begin a new chapter in the book called “My Life”. Personally, I’m really looking forward to reading it.

Photo and make-up Biljana Babic

Glamping with friends or family

I want to experience nature, like I’ve never done before, and to me, glamping is just the right combination of luxury and adventure, as well as another reason to finally explore and get to know the wonders of Slovenia from up close. If the road happens to take me abroad, that’s just as well, what matters is that I be surrounded by lots of lush green, and that evenings are enchanted with the mystical smell of fire in the distance. I am humbled by the silence when I’m admiring the stars.

Dinner underneath the stars

I can still remember the restaurant by the water, with the evening sun kissing my shoulders, and excellent sea food. The wish that the moment never ends and embracing all the love in the air. Letting go, not thinking about anything specific, the smiles, the promises, and life just as it should be.

Sunset at the beach

I love it in Florida, because it happens quite fast, and the sand quickly cools down, so my bare feet can relax on it. I love the way the sun jumps in the water, there’s a few moments of sheer beauty, and then it’s over. I like to catch the beauty of nature and having the privilege of being right there to experience it. That is when an incredible feeling of calm comes over me and tells me everything is right.

A book in a hammock

I have to persuade my father to hang up a hammock for me in the garden again; there are fewer trees there now and so the hammock has become somewhat redundant, as if it were just a souvenir from my youth. But it was so much more than that: a present brought from Africa, a place just for me, resting with a book in my hands, and the possibility to fall asleep in the middle of a meadow. I wish it back.

Photo and make-up Biljana Babic

More time spent on the terrace

I like mine, even though it’s not that big. And I like the fact it’s white and blue, it has a table where we can eat lunch or dinner, there are some flowers, and some new pillows that are quietly inviting me. It’s scorching hot in the afternoon, but magical light turns it golden in the evening, then orange, and peaceful and quiet later on. I like drinking coffee on the terrace, my feet up on the chair, and Sofia beside me, doing her homework like a good girl.

Fresh flowers

I promised myself I would buy them regularly, because it’s a small expense in comparison to the great joy they bring me. Fresh flowers are necessary for the soul and peace of mind, as they rid us of worry. I will have them everywhere, even in the bathroom, let them be wild, fragrant, and insanely beautiful, to remind me each day, how precious life is.

Fresh fruit

Because I don’t go to the market often enough, and I’ve been in love with melons, peaches, and cherries these past few days, which is actually how I realised how much I appreciate fruit. Something natural in my fridge and something good for a snack. And not only that: the colours of the fruits are so tempting this time of year, it’s as if they could be fashion accessories! Can’t think of anything more beautiful …

Barefoot on the beach

I know, it has to be the right kind of beach to do that, because they’re not all suitable for this type of venture. I love to travel, so I believe I’ll find my perfect beach and when I do, I’ll feel the life through the soles of my feet. I can just close my eyes and become aware of life, coursing through my veins. And our feet keep us upright 24 hours a day, so perhaps some gratitude is due every once in a while.

Photo and make-up Biljana Babic

Hanging laundry on the balcony

I love to hang the laundry to dry in the wind, and I love the smell of fabric softener, which I find intoxicating. It reminds me of my childhood and my mother, who always smells of fresh cotton, and so does her home. We dry our laundry inside during the winter, but this changes in the summer: I like clean linen in the air, it always makes me feel good.

Draft in my home

This may sound strange or funny, but it isn’t. I believe that changing the air is the key to feel good, healthy, and energized. I open the windows each morning to create a draft, air the place out, and I do the same in the evening. It keeps negative thoughts at bay and all that’s left is a feeling of freshness and nature that helps improve our lives.

Photo and make-up Biljana Babic