I breathe deep as my purple running shoes meet the sandy soil at my favorite forest trail. The morning rain left a smell of earth and pine-purified and crisp. As I walk the familiar path, I notice a feeling that something is different. Though the afternoon clouds are heavy in the sky, the forest feels joyful, it’s mood light. I am reminded of my hope this season to make space for wonder, to be attentive. As my eyes scan the surroundings a sparkle catches my eye. Just ahead on the trail, an entire section of the path is reflecting beautiful light. As I slowly approach-I see the sparkles come from tiny silver stars. Some partially covered by grains of sand, others clear and bright. I pause in awe. The more I look, the more I notice surrounding me as I stand. The shining silence is broken by the musical symphony of the breeze coming off the lake. The dry leaves rustle, the grass brushes against each other, and the pine trees hum as they lean back and forth. Each musician contributing their own beautiful harmony. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a movement. Something small and quick approaches. I stand very still, trying not to breathe as this this tiny chipmunk pauses at the patch of sparkles. What must she think of this? Is it a mess, spilled on her clean floor? Does she pause to sigh and tap her tiny toe at the inconvenience? Is she formulating in her mind who might be to blame and how she will force them to clean it up? Looking closer at her, I can see her tiny head tilt slightly and can see a silver star reflecting in her eye. A twinkle. A spark. My dad loved to tell us when we were growing up about the spark he could see in our eyes when we were curious, or excited or working on something amazing. Could this tiny creature be pausing in amazement? Is she taking in the unexpected beauty of this sparkly intrusion of her home? As she scurried off, I exhaled loudly and realized that I learned a beautiful lesson from her on this ordinary afternoon. Sparks of wonder lay literally all around me.

Words: Anna Bonnema

Anna Bonnema is a lover of nature and words from the US. She celebrates ordinary moments on her lovely blog Building Blanket Forts.

With the recent launch of our heiter mini publication and the first heiter event round the corner, it felt important to talk about the idea behind heiter magazine again. In the interview below Katharina, the founder and editor-in-chief of the publication, chats to her husband & heiter sub-editor Ben about how it all started, what heiter (the German word for cheerful) stands for and why we need to take the time to find joy in the simpler things in life.

Can you briefly introduce yourself to everyone who doesn’t know you.

My name is Katharina. I am Austrian but would call the UK my home from home. I lived in England for most of my twenties and feel like it is still a very big part of who I am. You, our border collie Rock and I relocated to Germany two years ago due to work. During the day I manage a team of editors for a fashion company and most of my time outside the office is dedicated to my passion project, heiter magazine (a bilingual magazine based on finding cheerful moments in life).

How did it all start with heiter magazine?

When I worked on my final project (for my BA Fashion Media course at London College of Fashion) back in 2016, I developed the concept for heiter magazine. I always wanted my own publication and saw my project as chance to create one. As a German-speaker who spent years in the UK and is married to a British man both German and English are part of my everyday life. It felt natural to produce a bilingual publication.

For someone who's only come across heiter magazine now, how would you explain it stands for?

Over the last two years, heiter has transformed from a magazine concept to a cheerful Instagram feed with loyal followers and a blog accompanied by heiter events. The content produced for all those heiter channels is based on three main categories. Finding heiter moments for yourself (My Heiter Moments), community (The Heiter Community) and creativity (Creative Life Heiter Life). I truly believe that everyone can find cheerfulness in their lives if they focus on those main areas; and I want to assist them in finding it.

What made you want to help other people find joy?

When I studied at university I always had a full-time job too. Going to work during the day, attending classes in the evening and on weekends, and doing exams on top of that was definitely not easy. I often found myself tired and without any energy. Only when I decided to enjoy the little windows of time I had between my duties and only when I consciously started looking for small things that brought me joy could I feel happier and cheerful again! I am certain that there are other people out there who experience the same. Life can be full on and at times overwhelming. I want to help my audience to find heiter moments in their every day and so enjoy the time they have left here on earth.

Why do you think it is the case that joy can more often be found in the simpler things?

We live in a fast paced world. Several hours are spent in front of computers or on our phones. One trend follows the next one, wherever we look we find products we should purchase. We’re overwhelmed by the sensory overload and crave for simpler things. I even find that with myself. After a long day at work I don’t want to be in front of another screen. I find joy in a calming cup of tea and a book. On weekends I prefer spending time in the garden or going for a bike ride. I simply want my brain to relax and you know, it works. I always feel much better after doing something I can simply enjoy.

What’s next for heiter?

As you know, we recently launched the mini magazine and are hoping to publish a bigger publication next Autumn/Winter. The first heiter event is going to take place in Munich. Depending on how it goes we will arrange events in other European cities, perhaps even worldwide. There are some wild ideas regarding a heiter podcast too. I definitely want to continue sharing posts on social media and the heiter blog - and collaborate more with likeminded people and brands.

Let’s finish this off with the interview question you usually ask at the end of all your interviews. How would you describe your perfect heiter moment?

Ha, that’s easy. Having coffee in the sun, being surrounded by plants and our dog whilst chatting away to you about new heiter ideas and upcoming trips.

Interview & image: Benjamin Carr Geissler-Evans

Sparks of wonder: a short story about finding joy in the mundane

Who and what is heiter magazine?