When Old Soul Meet
It was dark. The night had fallen. The curtain of the day had drawn coming to its end. She sat by the window viewing the trees that stood proud and firm beyond and before her, as the wind blew and made its branches gently rock, dance. She sighed kicking off her shoes, rubbing her feet as she lay to rest in the small peach sofa bed she sometimes fell asleep in. She continued to view out the window as the night grew dimmer. Far away she could see a star or two and recognized it was Orion - the three stars in the center of a square. Again. She sighed. Was it the beginning? Was it the end? She untied and loosened her long brown hair that was set tight in a high ponytail. Her long pink fingernails brushed through her hair as she let go of the day.
Then as she continued to view out the window, his image came into her mind. She had not thought about him for a very long time. An increasingly long time. The memories started to creep in and cuddle her to a good time that had caressed her life many eons ago, or so it seemed. Her laptop sat next to her. She decided to look him up and was surprised to have found his most recent photograph. A smile invaded her heart. He looked beautiful. Handsome as ever. Like the first time they had met, except his hair was now grey, with that smile that brightened ten horizons. As she searched the memories in her heart she remembered that time that streamed like a river of photographs through her mind.
Christine and Bernd had met in Germany a few years prior. She remembered that day clearly when she was sitting on a floor rug and saw him walk into the room. She couldn't believe someone so beautiful could walk into her life, so unexpectedly. He had saved her life in a way that she would have never imagined at the time. Their connection was instant. Except at the time, he had a girlfriend of 8 years. Nevertheless, they met as friends and had the opportunity to talk to each other several times. It seemed that he was confused about his relationship. Her name was Celine. Christine had met her once and saw what a special, as he, she also was. They were both very highly evolved spiritual beings and beautiful people.
One day, Christine mustered up the courage to go visit him at his office. He was a Therapist. She knocked on the door. He invited her in and offered her to sit on the nice golden blue sofa seat. They talked for a while. Then she pulled herself together and out came the gentle words from her lips: "I am in love with you."
Bernd was startled and also happy. His heart smiled and they talked about it. He had this tree that stood proud in the corner of his peaceful office. He went and grabbed two leaves and placed both of them next to each other in the palm of his hand facing her. With all the love in his heart and all the compassion in his soul he showed her the two leaves and explained to her that he had two leaves he loved, yet that he had chosen the other leaf. Allowing Christine to receive the news in a gentle way. Tears began to roll down her cheeks, and also a smile crept in, because of the gentle way in which he had expressed it. It made her heart understand deeply in a way that did not hurt her as much, for she confirmed that he had felt the same way. Even though they did not come together, the connection would be everlasting. She felt okay with it. They hugged a tender and friendly goodbye.
II
Years later Christine decided to go back to Germany to visit and learn more about the advanced modalities in her field. She had become a Meditation teacher. She had since her first visit learned about "A Course in Miracles" in the US and loved it. She took two books. One for Konray her first Spiritual Teacher and the other for Bernd (wondering if she would see him again). She arrived and settled in the little town named Groenenbach. At her arrival, she learned that he was no longer working there and had moved on. She sighed and wondered what could have been of him?
However, she was given the information of how to contact him. What was the right thing to do? Should she call him right away? The crisp paper with his phone number of Munich sat in her hand. What to do? Was he single? She looked at the Course in Miracles book that was perched on the chair next to the bed and then back at the crumbled paper in her hand. Should she give the book to him? Was it proper? She decided to wait and focus on her studies.
One day she was walking in the front path that was decorated with oak trees and walnut trees swinging their branches back and forth. A breathtaking painting of nature with mountains kissed by snow where draping the background. She sat at a bench under a tree and listened to the silent wind, when out of nowhere, someone who was an old friend from the previous time she had been there, who also knew Bernd, walked by.
They began to talk and she then asked: "what happened to Bernd and Celine?" "Oh, they are no longer together. After ten years, Celine found someone else to be with. She is with someone different for a year now," he answered.
Christine's heart. Stopped or jumped? She couldn't believe it! Was it for real?
She thanked the kind man and ran back into the building like a lightning rod.
She ran into her room, grabbed the winkled piece of paper with his number on it and laid on the bed as she looked out the window. She looked at the number, looked at the phone, then at the number again and started slowly dialing. Her hands were trembling as the phone rang and rang and rang. It felt like an eternity, would he answer? A long heart beating sigh. A gentle voice answers on the other side. It was him.
"Halo" Christine.
"Wer ist es," Bernd. (Who is it?)
"Christine, erinnerst du dich auf mich?" (Do you remember me?)
"Sicherlich, wie geht es dir? Was für eine überraschung!" (Of course, what a nice surprise!)
They talked for a very long time. She mentioned she had brought him "the Course in Miracles" book, to which he responded with please. At the end of their conversation they agreed that she would go and visit him in Munich by train. When she visited him, they became aware came that after Christine's visit to Germany she had a month off and was planning to go to visit the Greek Islands, to which he responded that at the same time he had vacation and was going with some friends to spend the rest of the Summer in Bodrum, that is situated in Turkey, very close to the Greek Islands, at the exactly same four weeks time in August!
Bodrum was especially close to the Greek Island of Kos, where Hippocrates had done his preaching. Their time in Munich was lovely, yet a little bit intense for he was still dealing with the breakup. They mentioned that if they were going to similar places at the same time that they perhaps could meet.
III
As Christine was still laying on her couch, reviewing the train of memories that ran through her mind, she also remembered when, after her practices that time in Germany, she had called him to confirm that she could like to meet him in Turkey. At the time he answered, "there are four of us going. we are going to spend one week in Bodrum by the sea to which you are welcome to. I have a sail boat and we will be working on fixing and painting the boat, but once we set sail there is only room for the four of us. Another young lady also named Christine is also coming with us, but she is just a co-worker." Christine was not to pleased with the idea and answered she would think about it.
After she had finished her studies and was ready to travel. Bernd and her got together in Munich on the day prior to her flight to Greece with another couple for breakfast that were going with him to Turkey, everyone except his co-worker was there. All they did was talk about the arrangements of the trip and Christine felt uncomfortable and wanted to leave for she was not fully invited to the whole trip.
She told him how she felt and decided not to go to Turkey. He then drove her to the airport and as she was about to step out he said: "In case you change your mind. Here is a map of where we will be in Bodrum. You are welcome to come and be with us while we are fixing the sailboat, as I previously mentioned. If you'd like?" then he looked at her with kindness and said: "you want to go to Placa in Athens, only for one day, then I suggest you move on to the islands, or, please come and join us."
Christine took the note with the map in it and told him it was unlikely. She gently closed the door, grabbed her suit case and walked into the terminal to grab her flight to Athens, Greece, as he waved her goodbye and drove away in his old, yet well kept Alfa Romeo.
IV
Christine fell in love with Athens. It was purely magical. She was dressed in a beautiful green strapless dress, hugged by a nice yellow leather belt and an artsy brass necklace that sealed her neck. From the taxi driver to the clerk at the hotel desk, to other men she met along the way, flirted with her. She was in awe, for she had read that Greek men had that behavior towards European blond women. She was blond at the time. She dropped her suitcase on the bed of the hotel and went for a gentle stroll that night into Placa, as Bernd had recommended.
It was immensely magical. Juicy Grapes hung like drapes from the roof tops in the terrace of restaurants. You could see sparks of the lights of the main city of Athens twinkling from a distance. She ordered the olives and tzatziki which was delicious dipped with pita bread.
She could somehow feel him and wished he was there with her.
IV
The next day she went to the Acropolis. The place was a pillar of memories that somehow invaded her soul. It was a complete rendezvous, especially in the Amphitheater. As she stood there in the middle of the stairs and looked down at the stage, the feeling that took over her was deep with a strong: "I have been here before." A whisper of the wind that untangled her hair confirmed the sensation.
She stayed in Athens too long. On the third day she thought that Bernd was right: "there was nothing else to do there. She packed her bags and went to the harbor where all the boats parted to the Greek islands, with no clue of what to do next. Which island to go to? She had heard of Mikonos and Santorini. As she stood in front of the map by the harbor staring at all the islands she saw that Kos was the closest one to Bodrum, that perhaps it was better to go there, for she was beginning to feel quite lonesome. She took the next fairy for a 14 hour long trip that sailed in the moonlight by Mikonos and Santorini, viewing only their shadows with stars painting the skies. It was all filled with magic and mist.
IV
Christine arrived in Kos feeling swindly, quite dizzy and was guided to take another smaller boat to Bodrum. A very different land, for it was Turkey. She had crossed the border and learned that Greeks and Turkish people don't mix to well. When she arrived, she ordered a taxi and showed the taxi driver the map Bernd had drawn to her at the airport previously and asked him if he knew where it was, to which he nodded in Turkish.
Moments later she arrived to this beautiful ocean side where there were many sailboats. The taxi driver stopped the car. As she stepped out of the car she grabbed her suitcase and stood outside for a moment not knowing what to do or where to look? As she turned around she saw Bernd from afar, running towards her, when she saw her he hugged her and said: "willkommen, du hast dich entschieden. Ich freue mich." (welcome, I'm glad you decided to come!" and immediately picked up her suitcase.
He then introduced her to his friends, the couple she had met prior in Munich for breakfast and the other Christine, who's red beat and stern face expressed how she felt, furious! Understandably so, she was in love with Bernd, however, he had clearly told her that she was only a workmate and nothing more.
The trip in Turkey was a dream and a love affair between them, that for some reason, due to circumstances could not come to full fruition.
The day before she left to spend a month to Kos, they sat together for breakfast, eating delicious greek bread dipped in pure raw honey. He looked into her eyes and said, "I wish it was you coming with us, not her, that it was her leaving not you."
They had worked on the sailboat and it was ready to sail around the ocean skirts of Turkey. It really was too small for more than 4 people, Christine understood. At the harbor as the sailboat stood tied by the dock Christine said goodbye to them all. Everyone one was in the sailboat, except her. In a way she was glad for they had spend so much time working and painting the boat, while she sun tanned, wind surfed and tanned all they long, sailing the shores with other people she had also met. She felt that in the end she had gotten the best of e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.
Bernd untied the last rope, hugged her goodbye and jumped on the sailboat as it began to sail away from the dock. He stood at the end of the sailboat as it drifted away, sending her endless kisses in the air. She smiled, waved and walked away to catch her own boat to the Greek islands, the island of Kos...
V
She looked back at his photo in the computer, looked into his eyes, into his smile. He had the loveliest of smiles. He was a well-known doctor and therapist who had helped so many people come back to their health and souls throughout the years. He was not only handsome but a wonderful soul.
She remembered once when he told her: "Es gibt keine hässliche Menschen {in die Welt} - There are no ugly people (in the world)," which impressed her and made her feel amazed to see how much love he had for the wellness of all human beings.
Her heart felt that beautiful, clean and pure love she once had felt for him. A feeling she had forgotten for an extensively long time, a man she could have lived with for the rest of her life. All these beautiful memories had brought her heart to life again as she sipped on her warm mint tea. How healing it was.
She looked at the computer photo one more time, pressed her fingers on her lips, kissed them to place them on the screen on his forehead and thought:
"we will meet again... sometime... somewhere in time... "
Forty Years Later
Almost forty years had passed. It had been a long long time since Christine had been in Groenenbach, Allgau, Germany. The opportunity rose for her to go to that wonderful healing place to take an uncle in need. Her intention was to rent a small apartment, while her uncle Harold went through their healing process. She was so excited to visit her friends she had not seen for almost 40 years. Her heart jumped with joy. She packed all her new clothes, and items. She looked fabulous. The flight was about to leave. She ordered an Uber and arrived at the airport almost late. Yet she made it.
She was moved to Business class, which she was grateful for, for it was a very long flight from Atlanta to Munich. In the middle of the flight, she thought of him again. Would she see him? Would he want to see her? They had kept contact on and off all those years. She knew he was happily married a second time, yet it would be so much joy to sit and have a cup of coffee with him and learn about his life's journey.
It was in the end of the pandemic and there were still many restrictions in the airplane, airports and hotels. Masks were still required almost everywhere.
The flight landed and she still had a cab to take to the next town Memmingen near Germany.
As she arrived to Memmingen she met with her uncle Harold, for whom they had an appointment to see Joachim, the Chefartzt, the next day to get him inside the Healing center and get him the help he needed. She thought she would ask Joachim, where she could find a nice room or apt she could rent for the time she was there to visit, while her uncle got the assistance he needed.
That night unforeseen events took place. Christine was extremely puzzled. Yet she prayed about it strongly with all her heart and sought advice from a spiritual teacher and friend.
At dinner her uncle Harols was expressing feelings for her as a man and that he was in love with her. She froze stiffly fighting him off. He had had a couple of drinks, she stepped aside and set that perhaps it was best to talk at breakfast. (He was not her blood uncle, but her father's best friend and adopted uncle.)
She was so tired from her long travel and as she lay in bed, all she could think that night was if she was going to have the opportunity to see Bernd and all the other practitioners she had befriended almost 40 years ago. They should do a reunion. She thought. She knew most of them were still alive and how fun and healing that all would be for everyone. The thought crept light gentle lighting through her back in the thrill and joy of seeing them all again.
During breakfast her uncle Harold was sober and her dear uncle as she always knew him. They talked serenely and he shared part of his life story with Christine, to which she listened attentively. She was not going to let a dark moment spoil the opportunity for her uncle to get the right help. He obviously needed it. He had also suggested that she get help and should consider going into the Healing Center herself. She was mind blown. She had never even thaught of that at all. She answered with, lets get you help first.
When she took her uncle Harold to the Healing Center to his appointment. She stepped in to talk to Joachim by herself. She had spoken to him several times over the phone in the previous months to see how they could all best help her uncle Harold .
As Christine stood before Joachim, she fell apart, explaining what had happened. She was exhausted trying to help Harold, yet the tables were turning and she did not know what to do. Joachim advised her to go for a walk while he had the appointment with Harold and see how he could help him and clarify the situation. The meeting lasted over 2 hours.
After the meeting uncle Harold and herself got a cab back to get back to the hotel. He had really liked Joachim and suggested to think about it and meet for dinner. During dinner he mentioned she should consider getting some healing herself.
She responded with a doubt that she would confirm it the next morning. After a few drinks he was at it again, pursuing her as a woman not as a niece and she stood up and left saying,"I am your niece, remember? Let's meet in the morning, "It was his alcohol speaking.
A couple of very hard moments for her, storming for the right thing to do. Feeling broken inside and out she decided to accept the offer to get help herself. She did not want to do it. She was afraid to do it. Yet in the condition she was in, she really needed the help, love and support. Her uncle decided he did not want the treatment and offered he would help Christine get the help she need, after all he made her go through. She accepted.
She adored Groenenbach and the Healing Center. Never in her wildest dreams she thought she would stay there herself. She was so deeply grateful to God and the Universe for granted this gift. She was sure of it now.
II
Joachim knew Bernd very well. As a matter of fact, they happen to be really good friends. Joachim was not there 40 years ago when Christine had met Bernd the first time. She met Joachim over the phone as she was trying to seek help for her uncle. They had an instant friendly connection.
A week after Christine was in treatment. She knocked on Joachim's door with her published book in hand. She wanted to know if he could be kind enough to give it to Bernd. It had a note in it and she hoped that he would try to meet her, once he knew she was there. Joachim offered to do so.
She had Berns email address, yet she was afraid to write to him in fear of his rejection and not responding. She was in hopes that if she gave it to Joachim, he would respond. Also, Christine mentioned to Joachim that it would be nice to get the previous group of practitioners from 40 years ago together.
She was dying to see all of them. She loved them so dearly and each one of them had meant so much to her. There was Ulf, Lela, Jurgen, Joachim and Bernd and perhaps someone else. She could not wait to see them again. That was her whole point of the trip.
A couple of weeks went by and she did not hear from Joachim or the reunion she had suggested. She also wondered if he had given Bernd her book and letter. Every time she asked about him and it was only a couple of times. Joachim would say, " I have not had a chance to talk to him, and, Yes, we need to do that." (the reunion) He had not had a chance to do so,
by almost the third week she came to realize that Joachim was too busy and that she needed to take matters in her own hands. On her birthday, she decided to write an email to Bernd, letting him know that she was in Groenenbach.
He lived in a town only 10 minutes from where she was and she was hoping to have some coffee with him and catch up. When she checked her emails a couple hours later, she saw that he had responded almost immediately saying that he was in his home in Italy at the time, but to please call him and left his phone number.
She wrote back and they agreed to talk the next day, on a Saturday close to dinner time. He would be free then. He assured.
The moment came. Christine was so nervous and excited at the same time. What would she say? How would he respond? After so many years had past. She did a few years back let him know she had published her first book and he wanted a copy. Yet it was too expensive to ship to Germany.
She grabbed the phone and dialed his number.
"Hallo," he answered.
"Hallo, Johannes, Wie geht es dir? (How are you)"
"mir geht es gut, ich hab jetzt Spaghetti gegesen. (Im good I just had spaghetti)
"Bist du fertig?" Are you done?
"Fast," he responded (almost)
They began to converse. She shared with him what had happened with uncle Harolds and how he had proposed marriage. He listened attentively and she listen to him attentively as well. They were dazed.
It was like two souls that had never been apart. The energy, the love and the light between them was so strong, blissful and filled with joy.
Christine could not believe it, she just allowed herself to be in the present moment. The feeling was so strong and intensifying between that after half and hour he said.
"Im going to try to make it back to my home in Germany. Perhaps we can still have that cup of coffee.,"
"I would really like that," she responded. She had cut her in the middle of the conversation, and she wondered if she had said something wrong. Yet that is how that conversation ended with her offering to mail the book to his home in Germany.
Christine was in awe of how much love there could be between to old soul friends. She was pretty sure he got nervous about it and was married and for sure he wanted to honor that, and so did she. Yet... there was something there.
They communicated through WhatsApp several times, where he sent her many of his photos. Some with only himself and others with his wife and family. He looked as handsome as ever with a clean white hair, still with his beautiful wavy hair and fit to a core. It have been 40 years after all.
She wrote a beautiful letter to him and added it to the shipping of the book, which he was so happy to receive.
He did make it back to his home in Germany, yet on the road back from Italy, he got Covid and did not want Christine to be exposed to it. They shared texts via Whatsapp a couple more times wherein he thanked her for the book and the beautiful letter, to which he responded:
"Shade das wir uns nicht gesehen haben," (I'm sorry we did not get to see each other)
To which she responded that she had given it her all to meet, and perhaps it was not meant to take place.
The pandemic had affected to many people during this time. And in this circumstance, it deterred two very old soul friends to meet
Two old soul friends that had so much love for each other as souls yet did not come together in this lifetime for one reason or another.
Their love, their connection, their alignment as souls, as lightworkers as beams of light, will always be blissed, expansive and wonderful... even if only in their dream state, where they do meet... once in a while...
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