Sunday, March 2, 2014

one plus one



Zagreb is home to one of the most fascinating and unique museums I have ever been to: the Museum of Broken Relationships. Here, the donated remains of failed and lost loves from around the world are put on display, often with a word or two about the incident or dragged out, soul-crushing turmoil that separated two people from a happiness together. Some of the artefacts and accompanying stories are blunt and matter-of-fact, some manage to pull out a laugh, and others knot the stomach.



I was amused when I first entered the museum, but soon grew quite emotional after reading each of the stories. It was humbling and familiar; our hearts have all been broken at some point in our lives, and hopefully, we mend.



It has been nearly three years since that May day when I first saw Pedro through the Gülhane park gate— I sometimes want to pinch myself to make sure I haven't dreamt it all. How lucky that he and his friends decided to take a trip to Istanbul and look up a fellow Urban Sketcher. How lucky that I met them for a sketch. How lucky that the martins were flying over Karaköy that evening, and that the New Year's lights were still hanging over Istiklal in the shape of glittery moustaches. How lucky!

If you have someone in your life who makes every molecule of your being hum with joy, squeeze them tightly, and let them know that your life is so much more colourful with them in it.

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