Day 23 of April Landscape Photo Challenge

Erasmus Bridge, Rotterdam

It was the city where it was all started.

We were young with plenty of hopes, building our lives together, bought a house, raising our dogs, travelling the world, diving in the seven seas and developing our careers. We travelled together, we were lovers, we were best friends, we were a family. However, who knew an expat-dom could change someone who you used to know deeply into a total stranger.

It is true people are growing, but are we really growing when exclusion and egocentrism existed? Inspiration, honesty, empathy and compassion are parts of personal growth. Growth and strength are attainable without leaving anything behind, including people who have been supporting us along the journey. The ideal growth is to inspire others and take them along to the journey.

Returning to Rotterdam in her cold windy December, I realized I had to take a new path. It’s not the path that I would expect to take 15 years ago. The city stayed beautiful as I have remembered. Rotterdam was a city-love at first sight, a sudden connection as we had our first kiss on that same day. It was 15 years ago, and my love for the city remained the same.

Yet, I am no longer the same person I was. And so he is.

December 2019.