Deep Spirits

Belgrade is my native town. I was born there, I finished all my education there and from there I went to world taking a path of a life somewhere in between.
This town knows me and I know this town. When I am there, although it has been 25 years since I have left it, I have many friends and family members with who is each new reencounter pure joy.
But, this time I travel there to see my brother who is in the hospital as he had heart attack three days ago. It has not been the strongest, but still, I know that he is frightened after that near death experience. I heard that he became very sensitive, although he has always been good hearted person.
Then I remember that people change their nature after near death experience, like becoming more aware of life, people around them, themselves as they are.
Maybe it will help him now to be more careful about food and sleeping as he has never been disciplined in that. I do hope that this will be one of those situations when an illness becomes an eye-opener.
The whole case awoke some thoughts and questions. Why we take our lives and that what we have for granted? Do we really need to lose something in order to get awareness about that what we have?
PS: I shall not be here for one week and after that I shall again enjoy the company of DS members.

I have just turned back from Belgrade. As said, it is my native town from where I went away 25 years ago. From then on, Belgrade became a place for regular visiting of my family and close friends. Of course that over time, the same what happens with people happens with cities as well.
They change.
This time I have become more aware of many changes that took place in last years.
Some of old drugstores and groceries I loved very much are not there anymore. At the corner of the street where it used to be our apartment, there was a grocery where everything was somehow old fashioned, but always fresh and it smelled on real food. I loved that place and fresh bread, milk, yogurt, butter and cheese we used to buy there. An old man who was working there was always pleasant and even in his old age nobody could ever think that he had any problems. For his customers it was calm and relaxed man who knew exactly what to ask you so that you can feel that he noticed you as a person, not as a number that brings him money.
Today, it is a fashion shop there, with stuff not looking to like that what they do, so the same moment you enter the shop, you have a need to leave it.
Exchange offices are everywhere and I was curious why it is necessary to have so many of them.
You can see bakery shops in the same street and on the same side, many of them, and quite one after the other but not seeming to have problems with traffic.
Food seems to be a very important pleasure and restaurants are everywhere around with all kind of food one can wish. Traditional Serbian meat dishes are dominant.
There are many beggars on the streets and this is something that always troubles me very much. Their presence now in contrast to so many glamour changes in architecture makes the whole situation when they meet you somehow grotesque. If I have small money I shall give it without any comments. I do not understand people who do not give anything, but have a need still to make comments about them.

There is one thing that is very sad. There are many beautiful dogs that are left and go free in herd. I have heard that old people who do not have money to feed them just left them on the street to find their way out. I do not want to believe this. Is it possible that life can change so dramatically that you cannot feed your dog anymore transforming your pet into the stray dog?

Thats a sad commentary Mirjana, and difficult for you to witness, i am sure.
Its probably the same story in most cities/towns. Lovely shiny shops all mirrors of each other, and the heart of the place lying in the street.

dermot wrote:Thats a sad commentary Mirjana, and difficult for you to witness, i am sure.
Its probably the same story in most cities/towns. Lovely shiny shops all mirrors of each other, and the heart of the place lying in the street. =0(

Dear Dermot,
I love very much your last sentence. It says a lot. Belgrade has always been a city of heart and that is what I have always loved about Belgrade. People who would come from other countries would have the same impression. Lying on two big rivers, Sava and Danube, with many bridges, old beautiful fortress park Kalemegdan, few other huge parks for entertainment, many quays, it has exceptional potential. Belgrade has always been full of music, with tradition in theatre and international cinema festivals, great concerts and exhibitions. But this new age has brought superficial glamour and my beautiful town has lost much of old, warm and original fleur. Or, have I become more critical being older? It is also possible.
But, your last sentence is in my head like a painting that expresses very well my feelings.

Mirjana, i suppose its tempting to wonder whether as we grow older we get less appreciative, or more critical.
Somehow i doubt it in this case, firstly because you dont display the usual negative response to change that some people do, secondly this has happened almost everywhere.

Money and greed dictate that everything has a price. More money can be made from dividing buildings into smaller units that attract chain stores who know how much can be made by watching the numbers of shoppers passing the door.
Disinterested staff, identikit product, shoppers reacting to whats on the shelf rather than what they like/suits them.
Sometimes i sit and watch these people move about, mostly they look like each other, and like the mannequins in the shop window.

Its rather sad.

I agree that it is a phenomenon that has occured everywhere, or in most places (I'm still hoping there are untouched oasis out there).
You could take any single aspect and comment on it alone and it would, on its own, be a nice illustration for how things have changed.

Take telephones, for instance. Originally a tool that is meant to help us connect more easily and communicate. Where and when shall we meet?
That kind of thing.

Now, meeting a person in person is barely deemed necessary, with cell phones, SMS, video chat, etc.
A phone company uses a slogan "Connecting people".
I always have to laugh (bitterly) when I hear that, because it seems like a monumental sarcastic joke.

If the White City has become a joke as well, then - at least today - all I can say it, oh well.
I will always love it for the memories it gave me, but I don't need to see what it has become.

dermot wrote:Mirjana, i suppose its tempting to wonder whether as we grow older we get less appreciative, or more critical.
Somehow i doubt it in this case, firstly because you dont display the usual negative response to change that some people do, secondly this has happened almost everywhere.
…Its rather sad.

Dermot, you are so much right. The fact that changes of such kind have happened almost everywhere makes the whole realization even sadder. I like the way how you express understanding of that what I have written. Thank you. It puts always more light on that what I have wanted to say.

Sabina wrote:I agree that it is a phenomenon that has occurred everywhere, or in most places (I'm still hoping there are untouched oasis out there).
…
If the White City has become a joke as well, then - at least today - all I can say it, oh well.
I will always love it for the memories it gave me, but I don't need to see what it has become.

I love very much your thoughts about telephones. Good point.
As about White City, it still has a lot of that what you have loved there I am sure, as it has the same of that what I have loved and still love. But, the same time, as an old friend of mine it mirrors very nicely my personal changes that has been happened in the mean time and that I can witness so well only when coming to an old place I love comparing the beauty which is eternal with these changes I cannot digest well.