BLOG for mom and dad

The next message you need is always right where you are (Ram Dass)

If your life was a message, what message would that be? (Author unknown)

All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, which is:

love, compassion and forgiveness...

the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives (Dalai Lama)

Today I am writing a message for my mom and my dad.

Dear Mom and Dad,

I am sending you a little message across the miles to say that I wish I were with you both right now to look after you. But I am not. I am far away physically. But on another level – I am right there with you.

As Mom goes in to have her operation tonight, I will be will with her in my mind. Sending Reiki healing across the miles that separate us. I carry you both in my heart all the time.

Close your eyes now and feel a long warm hug coming your way. I love you both very much.

XXX

Conclusion to 365 Days

Thank you for sharing this year of my life with me, through all the tearful moments, the rantings, the meanderings of the mind, my laughter. I send each of you Love, with all m y heart.

I recently read these words of wisdom: I conclude my 365 Day challenge (to myself) with them.

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers; wider freeways but narrower viewpoints.

We spend more but have less; we buy more but enjoy less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences but less time.

We have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge but less judgment; more experts yet more problems; more medicine but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions but reduced our values.

We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We’ve learned how to make a living but not a life. We've added years to life, not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbour.

We've conquered outer space but not inner space.

We've done larger things but not better things.

We’ve cleaned up the air but polluted the soul.

We've conquered the atom but not our prejudice.

We write more but learn less.

We plan more but accomplish less.

We've learned to rush but not to wait.

We build more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast food and slow digestion, big men and small characters, steep profits and shallow relationships.

These are the days of two incomes but more divorce; fancier houses but broken homes.

These are the days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer to quiet to kill.

It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. It is a time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose to either share this insight or to just hit delete.

Remember to spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember to say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person will soon grow up and leave your side.

Remember - give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember to say "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment, for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love!

Give time to speak!

And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

And always remember: life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

(George Carlin)

365 Days, Day 365

To write a good love letter, you ought to begin without knowing what you mean to say, and to finish without knowing what you have written (Jacques Rousseau)

Every love letter, every hug, every tender kiss, every flower picked, every consoling talk is my heart acting out all the love and kindness that overfills me. I have other outlets -- gardening, motorcycle riding, cooking, sewing, poetry/spoken word, playing bass, exchanging letters and so on -- but my deeper connections with special people give me such an untouchable high and satisfaction. This is why I practice open relationships. It is not sexual validation that I'm searching for, but the mere act of giving, sharing, growing, inspiring, and loving creatively. I almost feel as if I could not go on with life without these connections (Wendy-O Matik)

Over the years, I have given my English students the following task:

Write a Love Letter to yourself.

To give them credit, no student ever complained and said they couldn’t do it. Some wrote better, more insightful letters than others. It is a really difficult task though.

I decided to end off this blog with the same task:

Write a Love Letter to yourself.

My Dearest Deidré

I am writing this to express my gratitude for your acceptance; for your resolute belief in me even when I am been filled with doubts and sadness. There is a part of you that is a part of me that carries us through the difficult storms.

I respect your strength of character, sensing when someone needs comfort or nurturing and stepping in, with your sense of inner calm.

I love your childlike humour and the great delight you take in small things, which others may overlook. Your humour may not be to everyone’s taste, it is somewhat quirky – but it makes me smile.

I admire your acceptance of new circumstances; even though to you ‘Acceptance’ means Sacrifice. You have handled the last two years rather well. You do have great tenacity. I urge you to be aware of the Lessons to be learned…

For an older woman, you are rather gorgeous! I know you have to ‘work’ at looking good, in your own ‘stylish’ way. Keep on, girl: you are never too old to preen! Carry on slapping on the old mascara and lippy. Keep on wearing the heels: I love that about you! Do not relinquish your eccentricity: go way over-the-top! Make heads turn. What hair colour is next, my sweetheart?

With love, I tell you that you have been brave in all your little endeavours. I know you get hurt and are disappointed when people or things don’t turn out the way you expect. Part of that is that you are an optimist and believe the best of everyone. Part of it is because you are a gentle soul, perhaps too gentle for this world. It is precisely your gentleness that draws others to you: do not allow yourself to become inured to the harshness of life. Keep your sincerity and naivety. I love that quality in you.

I also love that you are willing to ‘receive’. You have a wonderful daughter, who looks out for you when you are falling; you accept her assistance with love and with the knowledge that her intentions are pure. Never be too proud to say that you are not coping. Your loved ones will be there to step in and carry you.

Thank you for all the times you have made me laugh out loud, or have been absolutely passionate about an experience, a moment. Thank you for sharing with me the intense sense of enchantment you get from seeing, hearing, experiencing creativity in all its forms. Your heartfelt immersion in the moment is addictive. I want to see more of that level of interaction with you.

I truly want to encourage you to spread your creative wings and take flight. We also both know that you are being called to the softer nurturing world out there: go and do your massage course – make it happen. Express your creativity through Art!

And I leave you now with the express wish that you will Dance more often.

Look after yourself, meditate and continue to be the gentle you I love.

Much love,

D

365 Days, Day 364

The experiences you draw to you, through the opening in the doorway of your soul... stay open... only as long as you do... (Marlise Karlin)

You must not for one instant give up the effort to build new lives for yourselves. Creativity means to push open the heavy, groaning doorway to life. This is not an easy struggle. Indeed, it may be the most difficult task in the world, for opening the door to your own life is, in the end, more difficult than opening the doors to the mysteries of the universe (Daisaku Ikeda)

Just over a year of my life is represented in these blogs. I think it will be interesting to look back: perhaps in the form of a book. But I also look forward to new doorways that have yet to be opened.

I would really love some feedback from you to add to the blog/book on what you have thought of this blog. Every creative person needs positive encouragement: so many of us never quite believe we are good enough – ever in pursuit of perfection. At my advanced age I am still finding myself, or re-discovering myself in my Autumn Years.

My journey continues. One more blog to go on this 365 Day challenge…

365 Days, Day 363

One must have the adventurous daring to accept oneself as a bundle of possibilities and undertake the most interesting game in the world - making the most of one's best (Harry Fosdick)

Everyone is doing the best they can according to THEIR map of the world! (Author unknown)

Success is being the best you can be where you are right now (Yancey Grantham)

I can only do what I can do.

I have to accept that. Getting myself anxious because I can’t do everything I planned to do in a day, is no longer an option. I will do my very best at what I undertake, and do (try to) it with love. My map of the world at the moment has many navigational routes. I am doing the best according to this map. I am making the most of my best.

I read this today: As you think, so you are. Think the very best, and you will draw the very best to you.

Acceptance is very humbling at times. Accepting were we are, and that where we are, is exactly where we are meant to be. Navigating my map in my little ship, weathering the storms, relishing the calm and smooth. So my journey continues…

[P.S. no-one responded to my blog request yesterday – for Words. I am beginning to doubt the existence of my readers, of my reality.]

365 Days, Day 362

Young.

Old.

Just words.

(George Burns)

Better than a meaningless story of a thousand words is a single word of deep meaning which, when heard, produces peace (Buddha)

Languages are fluffy big pillows stuffed between nations - what others say is muffled and nearly lost in them, and when we speak their grammar we get feathers in our mouth. It's worth it. What pleasure to phrase an idea, even in child's words, slowly, and sail it across the gulf in another language to a different-speaking human being! (Richard Bach)

We have Words with which to communicate. Movements, gestures, looks. Our deeds speak volumes.

It’s not so much what we say, but how we say it.

It has been difficult for me to present a very public side of me with my words. I am essentially a private person. I have over the past year let you into my private life, some layers deeper than others. I have only a few days left. I would like some words from you, my readers: so I know you exist.

365 Days, Day 361

No one day is like another, each moment has its special miracle, its magic moment in which old universes are destroyed and new stars created (Paulo Coelho)

When we are present in each moment, the past gently rolls up behind us and the future slowly unravels before us (Richard Levy)

Things to do while waiting on the side of the highway in the pouring rain

You know how when driving on a highway, you often see these poor souls standing in the pouring rain next to their broken-down car – and you think, thank goodness that’s not me! Well this time it was us. Driving back from Birmingham – the journey should have taken 2 ½ hours; it took us 5 ½. When your car breaks down, you have to leave the vehicle and stand well away from the highway. It happened to be pouring with rain yesterday and the wind was howling. So there we were, having scarpered up the embankment, pressed against the wall under the bridge on the side of a noisy, busy highway, in the rain and the wind and the cold. It is actually very noisy – I hadn’t quite realised just how noisy – almost like being in a nightclub, with traffic noise instead of music though. And no alcohol. Actually Ada did mention that a hot toddy right then would be a good idea, or at least have one waiting for us when we got home.

Things to do while waiting on the side of the highway in the pouring rain:

• Collect debris and create an instant mosaic art work. I collected shells! rusty metal, pebbles, stones, a broken Fanta cap, and something that looked like a metal jigsaw puzzle piece; And laid them out carefully, mosaic-ed together. Tom accidently stood on my artwork and destroyed it!

• Count all the yellow cars (only two!) not counting all the AA vehicles, of which there were many!

• Count all the horse boxes (two).

• Have a competition between the cars that Ariél likes (Fiat 500) [right pocket] and the one I like (MG) [left pocket] – which featured the most. Right pocket won (5), with left pocket having only 3. At one stage it was neck-and-neck.

• Ice-cream trucks (only 1, thank goodness we couldn’t hear it – I have a ‘thing’ about ice-cream trucks).

• Examine all the foliage – hence the little poppy in the picture. I also decided to use Nature’s facilities, and slid down the embankment in the bushes whilst trying to do this – not that any one noticed this.

• Keep warm.

We were eventually rescued and after a bit of tinkering the AA man sent us on our way. Next time I think I will take the train.