In the next paragraph, I will briefly summarize who I am (or think I am) and what this blog is about. This is for those who do not have time to read :-). For others, I wrote the next lines below.
My name is Aneta Gibbs, I was born in the 90s’ in the Czech Republic (now called Czechia). When I was 25 I moved to Italy where I live (still) with my daughter, husband, and various numbers of animals. We live in the countryside of the Ligurian mountains where we are rebuilding the 300-year-old stone house, doing many projects, and growing our food in a vegetable and fruit garden. I write about my inspirations about simple living that can lead to a happier life. At the same time, I also create illustrations, designs, and art in general.
I need to stop at this point. My original idea was to write about only nice things because it seems there is too much bad in the world. But then I found out that I didn’t write almost anything for the whole year because I wasn’t feeling too well. It wouldn’t make sense to write about something nice if I didn’t feel that way myself. One of the things that is very important to me is truth and authenticity.
That’s why I realized that I can write about things that inspire and help me, but I can’t leave out the part where I feel like shit, I have a crisis and everything seems pointless and useless. On the other hand, who determines what is good and what is not? I think that every event and thing contains both levels at the same time. What we consider “bad” is actually what helps us develop and deepen our experience.
But back to the original story.
I have always had a big passion for art, nature, animals, and the unseen world of magic – whether it was old customs and traditions, the “original” way of life in different parts of the world, magical rituals, and practices, synchronicity, life mission, etc.
All these things intermingle and reappear throughout my life.
One of the big themes for me is also freedom. I think it all started with my grandparents. I lived in the city all my childhood and adolescence, but it never fulfilled me. The only place I really felt happy was with my grandparents in the countryside. I liked the slow way of living depending on the seasons, with everything that came with it – working in the garden, cooking from scratch, picking mushrooms, taking care of animals.. And that endless freedom. No one cared about where I was when I would come home and what I was doing where.
My grandparents had two houses, one of which was really old and, according to legend, a knight originally lived there. My uncle is said to have seen him once when he fell asleep in the hay drunk. That attic where we had hay was my main refuge (although I never met a ghost of a knight there). I’m thinking now about what I was actually doing there the whole time, but I’d have to ask my childhood self. Too much time has passed since then and my memories are lost.
I visited this place a few years ago because I thought I would relive some memories. After the death of my grandparents, we sold the whole lot to a wood carver. When I arrived there, I was quite disappointed, because the whole place was changed beyond recognition. What was beautiful there was destroyed. We might have thought that the woodcarver would need trees, so there was not a single fruit tree left.
All that was left of my grandmother’s flower garden (which was admired by the whole village) was a muddy overgrown place. I remember my grandmother and me going to flower shows where we would steal the stems of the most beautiful plants (don’t ever do that!) so she had a garden full of extraordinary flowers.
My favorite old house was dilapidated, with a leaky roof..I think it’s all gone now.
So instead of remembering the beautiful moments and places from my childhood, I went around cursing and crying. And so I thought that was the last time I went there to see it.
In the meantime, I lived in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. I originally thought that life in a big city would be the right thing for me, but based on what I’ve already written, it is clear to you that it wasn’t. I kept looking for a better job until I finally found a good place in the office. And then I realized that this all is not for me.
I was so fed up with the hustle and bustle, hectic lifestyle, alcohol parties, and hangovers that I wanted to go live alone in a cabin in the woods in the mountains. But somehow I suspected that it would be just running away from problems and so it would be better to go for adventure and beyond my own limits.
At the same time, I became interested in Italy. It happened after I saw a cooking show on TV where there were two Italians preparing pesto alla Genovese and torta di bietole. It’s interesting that at that time I didn’t know Genoa, Liguria, and actually anything about Italy because I had never been there before. I perceive this initial inspiration, like all upcoming events, as fateful.
I won’t go into details now, but the beginnings in Italy were not easy at all. I traveled alone, without knowing anyone in Italy, knowing the language, or having a job. If I had to recommend something to someone who wants to move to another country, it would be – don’t do it like me. Seriously, the way I did it was extremely dangerous and difficult. I basically moved from one place to another because I wanted to find a place to live and then a job. I used Couchsurfing, if I had known about Workaway at the time, I would have chosen it for sure.
When I was completely exhausted, I found a place in the mountains where I could stay for a longer time. At this point, you might be wondering why I actually did it and why in this particular way. The answer is that I didn’t know a better way and I felt that it was part of my destiny so I couldn’t just go back home. I had to keep going and hope it would end well.
One particular evening I went to a rock’n’roll concert where I met my current husband. This meeting turned out to be another big milestone on my fateful journey. Not long after we met, we started living together and then got married. We started living in an old stone house, which we are now trying to renovate. We have a daughter, a dog, and lots of cats.
When I’m working in the garden or renovating that house that originally belonged to my husband’s grandmother, I wonder if I’m doing the same thing as the woodcarver did in my grandmother’s house. Erasing one’s old memories and remaking the place in one’s own image. The house will change the aspect in many ways. I don’t have any sentimental connection to anything there. But let’s say that also this one was left to fate, only in another sense. They didn’t repair or make it better in any way, because they wanted to conserve their memories. In fact, there is everything in the same place as it was 20 (or maybe more) years ago (even the towel in the kitchen!). But the house is getting old, the roof has holes and the flowers need care…
Somewhere in between, I also discovered that I have my own “spirit guide” – someone who can get me into the darkest corners of my soul and at the same time teach me about unconditional love. Which definitely helps me deepen my experience in all senses and directions.
And that is where I am now. Melancholy for home where I can’t be, and life in a place that pleases and annoys me at the same time.
Meanwhile, balancing between feelings of gratitude and hopelessness. And my sometimes successful way to make the best out of it all.
P.S. I decided to write it in English because it’s more accessible to everyone. Also if I know that my English is not perfect and maybe it can bother some native speakers :-)).
P.S.S. This blog does not generate any money for me by its existence, I just enjoy writing. I don’t intend to have pop-up ads, newsletter subscriptions, I don’t collect cookies, or anything like that. Simply because I don’t like it and it annoys me that there aren’t many places on the internet where you can just read something the “old fashioned” way.
While I value freedom and have no intention of restricting anyone, copying or otherwise sharing any content on this site is not permitted.
P.S.S.S. If you would like to view or purchase my art, I will be sure to mention it in the ART section. At the same time, I will be happy if you are inspired by my observations and ideas.
Have a nice time here🙂
Aneta Gibbs