B., mother of the family
B. brought a completely different kind of inspiration into my life. She taught me the natural ease of well-being and the quiet, effortless elegance of calm. She showed me a world where we enjoy life’s beauty in silence, simply refusing to let noise or unnecessary disruption in. I still remember how striking her excessive calm seemed. The kind that makes you suspect something must be off. Because no one can be so untouched, so unbothered, right? Especially not in this stressful world. There always has to be something to worry about.
Even when we’re healthy and living comfortably, there’s always the child’s next test; the performance uniform that still hasn’t arrived; the new stomach virus that’s taken down half the class. Or the ridiculous deadline set by an even more ridiculous boss; the looming swimsuit season that demands a few lost kilos; the dinner guests next weekend who still need to be fed something. There are countless things to fret over, to bite our nails about. And if our health isn’t perfect, or our circumstances are tougher, then there’s an endless catalogue of “options” to choose from.
And then there’s B., who refuses to acknowledge any of it. If she were faced with an obstacle, I swear she would simply raise an eyebrow and stare at it until it slinks away in shame. I genuinely doubt she has ever felt cornered. She’s too serene for that. In her world, there are only situations — ones that take shorter or longer to resolve, but are still just situations. B. doesn’t worry because she is deeply convinced that life is whole exactly as it is: sometimes it throws us here, sometimes there.
The harmony that radiates from her is delightfully contagious. My forehead relaxes the moment I know we’re going to meet. My brain practically whispers, “Oh good, the world will calm down around us any minute,” and leans back in its chair. All the worries retreat to their little hideout and carefully lock the door behind them. They know perfectly well they won’t be needed for a while. No matter how hard they try, no one will pay them any attention.
Where B. is, the sun is always shining. The air is warm and fragrant. Birds chirp softly, and the ocean hums in the background. There’s no loudness around her, and every face seems to carry a smile. The best thing to do near B. is simply to be — to enjoy the goodness she carries effortlessly, never holding back from anyone. To marvel at how problems either run away or appear in an entirely new light. Sometimes they turn into inspiring ideas, sometimes into intriguing challenges. Luckily, I met B. after I had already outgrown the phase of envy. I knew right away she was a treasure — someone from whom you learn how to live well.