December Discoveries

This December makes my heart feel full. Reconnecting with people does that to me.

I talked about this with my friends, and we agree: even though the first two weeks of the month are habitually more stressful — mostly because of wrapping things up at work in order to fully enjoy the winter holidays — this time feels different from a usual vacation. Most colleagues are taking time off, and the number of emails waiting for us in January is slightly smaller than after any other break.

1) Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw 2) Train station on the way home 3) Home town landmark 4) Treasures

With work gently coming to a pause, December 15 marked my last working day before the winter holidays. That same evening, I boarded a flight to Poland, where I planned to spend the rest of the week.

One of the first pleasant surprises was discovering a new, direct train connection between Warsaw and my hometown. Finally! The train ride itself brought me so much joy that I couldn’t help but laugh at the silliness of it. The warmth of the carriage, the landscape passing by the window, music in my headphones, and a call with dear friends made the journey smooth and deeply comforting (rest assured, the call didn’t disturb anyone in the compartment — respect for fellow passengers is important to me).

Arriving home, I was over the moon to see my mum waiting for me. Her and my friend, winter tea and conversations about everything under the sun — or clouds, in our case — filled the next three days with warmth and ease.

1-4) Works of Zdzislaw Beksinski (Museum of Fantastic Art, Warsaw)

From home, my journey continued back to Warsaw — and with it, one long-awaited discovery.

I had always wanted to see the works of Zdzisław Beksiński, so this became the first cultural stop of the day. A dream come true. I fell in love with his art back in high school. As someone drawn to heavier music, Charles Baudelaire, and darker vibes in general, his paintings have always touched that place in my heart that leans toward mystery.

I was equally fascinated by the book “Beksińscy. Portret podwójny” by Magdalena Grzebałkowska. If you haven’t read it yet, I wholeheartedly recommend it. And if you ever feel that Beksiński’s paintings might speak to you, I would also encourage a visit to a gallery or museum where his work is shown.

The rest of my stay was filled with time spent with friends and a deep sense of presence: hugs from Ida, playing the piano, composing songs, board games, long conversations, holiday gifts and a spontaneous date at a restaurant I had always wanted to visit. I felt sad to leave, but my soul felt nourished.

1-2) The most thoughtful gifts 3) Most needed winter tea 4) Spontaneous reminder of morning beauty

And as December continued to unfold, my thoughts often returned to the idea of gift-giving.

If you allow me a few words on the subject: it has never been about the material value of a gift. It’s about being known so well that what someone chooses to share with you can make you laugh, cry, bring you joy, or completely stun you — especially when it’s something you’ve been quietly dreaming of for a couple of years.

It’s a friend’s kid calling out from the other room to ask about your favourite colours, just so she can create the most beautiful postcard you could imagine receiving. And then, after returning home, it’s the winter tea that keeps you warm. Or a morning walk where you catch the sun rising among the plane trees and find yourself thinking, what a gift.

What are your most cherished, thoughtful, joyful gifts?

Another one of mine was a trip to Basel to see the exhibition of Yayoi Kusama. I had wanted to visit ever since it opened, but kept postponing it until I realised that most of the tickets were already sold out. What better moment to join forces with a couple of friends and go than Christmas Eve?

It turned out to be a truly energising experience, and a discovery of an artist I had known very little about before.

Yayoi Kusama’s work felt both playful and intense. Her lifelong obsession with polka dots — which she has described as a way of dissolving the self into the universe — runs through everything she creates. I learned about her anti-war happenings during the Vietnam War, when she painted naked bodies with dots as a form of protest, as well as her recurring pumpkins and the visions that have shaped her artistic language for decades. There was something deeply moving in seeing how her inner world, at once fragile and powerful, has been transformed into such a bold and recognisable visual universe.

December was full of discoveries — in places, in people, and in quiet moments of presence. Between journeys and returns, exhibitions and conversations, I felt my world widen and soften at the same time. I ended the month with a full heart, reminded once again that the greatest discoveries often arrive gently.

Have a great holiday season.

Thank you for reading.