Going home

The engines of the plane roar beside me, after this flight I’ll be in Europe. Back home. But it sounds weird, because I’ve been home. Christchurch with her awesome people was my home the last month, just as the road is my comfort zone now. It’s what I’m used to.

When I got out of the plane in Kuala Lumpur I was overwhelmed by a proud feeling of what has happened the last sixteen months. It are not just the numbers: 3 continents, 25 countries and 3500 people who drew and remembered their beautiful moments. Most of them started to smile. It was great to see people transform. Some people like the shy Mon in Vietnam who completely opened up and even started translating for me. Others started talking to strangers. But most of them cheered up. The ones who thought they had a miserable week and then still find good moments, those are the ones most dear to me. From thinking they don’t have anything good to the happy face that life isn’t so bad.
What started off as a crazy plan turned into reality. Although I had the idea it was vaguely possible, making it actually happen amazed me.

And it makes me feel very privileged. Since the only reason I can do this is you. So many people who helped sofar. The obvious acts range from offering me a place to stay, making short movies, helping out in organizing, supporting in the crowd funding or giving me a laptop. But sometimes your support meant more to me then one could imagine. For example, Last week I had a concussion. I was in the bus going to an appointment, but my head felt more like a granate than a discovery planet for nice thoughts. A message from somebody I didn’t spoke to in years comes in “Hey Janne, I just want to say you’re doing a great job. Even on the other side of the world you make people smile.” Sometimes you just want to hug the world.
Thank you all for making this possible.

Going to the Netherlands doesn’t mark the end of Seize Your Moments. I only collected beautiful moments in three continents so far. But the moments and the story of the world tour yearn to be told in a way which is suitable for these precious narratives. So the coming months I’ll be working on the book and other forms to tell the story, like tallks and exhibitions.

And although the last month I was mainly working on the book, it still feels fresh and new. The content has to be formed. I don’t exactly know which stories are going to be in the book. Another thing is I don’t know all the learnings and patterns of the moments yet. I can see a lot of gems and now I’ll make it into a mosaic. So I continue discovering.
Also the question how the book will come about is one where I don’t have the answers yet. I hope you want to join me in this quest.

The speakers switch on and the captain asks us to prepare for landing, I’m coming home. I’m delighted to see my family and friends living in the Netherlands again. And it’s also like the beginning of a new journey. This time it’s about telling the story and I’m ready for take off.