From my letters · 10 February 2026

Hello my dear friend,

Not so long ago, I told you about my nana and how her death (in 2006) made me go all ‘X-massy’ since (in December, not the whole year round, haha). I also told you that she was one of those crucial persons in my life, and that her ability to bring fantasy in her life helped me enormously to embrace the role of fantasy in my life too. 

As a kid, fantasy was my way to deal with life. Whenever something felt off or unpleasant, fantasy was my go to.  I would go outside and play the super hero in my own imaginary movies, feeling strong and radiant. I would lie in the grass and watch the clouds while imagining I was leaning on the soft cushions they seemed to be. I would fall asleep imagining my future, a sparkling and happy one. Or I would sit in the class room but actually not be a pupil at school, but a spy (or someone else very special and cool). Reading books, at least 2 or 3 a week, was big part of this. Sinking into those stories, not being here and now, but living somewhere between those pages. 

So, I use the words fantasy often over the word imagination. That’s on purpose (while I mean the same!) I know not everyone fantasizes through images (which the word imaginary might point at). Let those words not be in the way of using your fantasy and imagination. You know best how you fantasize (images, words, just knowing, feeling, hearing songs, seeing words, and so on. It’s all your imagination.

To me, imagination (fantasy ;)) is still important. It allows me to create and to imagine better outcomes. It all supports my optimist take on life, which is not so much a quality I was born with, but a quality I once created for ‘survival’. My optimism and imagination are till today my way to cope with life and whatever challenges I might face. It helps, it sooths. It inspires. It’s a driver for all my creativity. Do you recognize this? If you like, just hit reply and let me know. I’ll read your message personally!

Some people might call this way of using your fantasy ‘manifestation’ and that’s also a way to look at it. You might cringe because of that word, and think of highly vague or spiritual stories, but manifestation is actually a very down to earth approach to use your fantasy to look ahead, and to prime your brain and being to changes you would like to see.

If you want to hear more about that, you can watch this clip on YouTube, where I explain how meditation can help you with that. Or… meditate with me and explore it for yourself!

Story to watch

Today not a movie of TV-series, but an exhibition. We visited ‘Metamorphoses’ in Rijksmuseum Amsterdam. A collection of at work that was inspired by the poet Ovid through the centuries. The curators did an excellent job. The collection was not shown chronologically but topically. So you could see one of the stories by Ovid from different perspectives through time, which was amazing. To see what changed, and to see which elements remained the same. Impressive and true nourishment for the soul. I realize that Amsterdam isn’t close for many, but if it is: recommended!

I loved speaking with you, let’s do it again next week. 

Be selfgentle,

All love, Femke