Martenitsa

To what ties us together.

Hello there! And welcome to Dandelion Seeds, an illustrated newsletter in search of the meaning in everyday moments.

This past Friday, I opened our mailbox and found something rather special waiting for me — a bracelet made of red and white threads.

It had been sent by my friend Sevil here in Antwerp. And you might remember from a story I shared this time last year, that in Sevil’s home country of Bulgaria, this kind of bracelet is known as a martenitsa.

But that wasn’t all Sevil sent me last week.

As the bracelet slipped out of the envelope, I noticed a small hand-written note had also been tucked inside it:

“I tie a wish of health and light for you.” ❤️

As I read Sevil’s words, right there in the entrance of our building, I felt extraordinarily grateful. For the friends we’ve made in our new home, for the traditions they share with us, and most of all, for Sevil’s wish for light.

In a time when things only seem to grow darker, I wanted to share her wish with you today. I hope you’ll enjoy revisiting this story with me, and rediscovering the tale of two little threads who brought the world together.

With love,
Candace