Tag: Kindness

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Shouting to the Wind

It seems that everywhere we tune in at the moment we are bombarded with fierce rhetoric. So much unrest. So much heartache being endured by innocent people caught up in wars they didn’t want. Loved ones separated and lives torn apart. So many harsh actions and words, seemingly with no give and take. So much about ownership whilst people are ending up with nothing at all.

I like to think that there are people out there willing to be humble and to talk willingly without agenda. Most people just want the chance to enjoy the small things in life. The important things, like taking a peaceful walk in the sunshine. 

‘We do not need guns and bombs to bring peace, we need love and compassion',’ Mother Teresa.’
I pull down the blind
and with that
I hope
for peace of mind.
Perhaps the world
will talk some sense
as I sleep,
and dispense some peace
and recompense.
Madness, how can you
be so ugly
when all the moon
wants to do is shine?
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Self-care for the soul.

Soul – the spiritual part of a person that is believed to give life to the body and in many religions is believed to live forever. A person’s deeply-felt moral and emotional nature. The ability of a person to feel kindness and sympathy for others. To appreciate art and beauty.

I’m thinking about how we look after ourselves and give our best to the world when we get caught up in the hurly-burly of everyday living, but also, and more importantly, how we cope when we are knocked sideways by awful events going on around us, both in our personal lives and further afield.

So much is said about caring for the mind and body and yet so little is said about looking after our souls. Yet even the simplest act of self -care can have a profound effect. Surely, if our souls are nurtured, we will feel happier and calmer. But how easy is it to feel aligned with the universe? Perhaps we should exercise our souls just like we do our muscles. It isn’t difficult but how often do we do it? We can exercise our souls when we go about our daily lives. We don’t need to dress up in exercise gear or go to a special place. How lucky we are to have a beautiful soul right inside us! We can include our soul in everyday acts quite easily! As we get in the shower, make tea or dig the garden, for example, we can visualise our soul lighting our heart up like a beacon. We can put it to work too and allow it to enhance our everyday lives by carrying out simple acts of kindness, placing a thoughtful touch on someone’s arm, or taking time and properly listening to another. When you give your time to another person and connect with them, this is a spiritual act in itself. Compassion works wonders.

It is hard to be non-judgemental, especially with so many opinions being foisted on us from the media, but it is good to practise tolerance. Standing up for what we believe in is important too, but a good soul uses a gentle voice. When you hear someone raise their voice, lower yours and see how the atmosphere calms.

The soul likes to be creative. It helps it to grow and to spread beauty wherever its creations land. Anything lovingly created makes the souls of both the giver and the recipient happy. Think how heartwarming it is to receive a happily created stick-man drawing from a child.

What do we do on the days when we feel overwhelmed – when the care of our soul takes a back seat and we are challenged? Some days are far from perfect, but the soul doesn’t complain. It waits patiently for us to remember it is there and reminds us that those significant challenges may be a bunch of tiny things in a row . Perhaps they are like a path of pebbles that will eventually lead us to where we need to be.

Nurturing the soul means taking good care of yourself. The energy you nurture within shows the worth you have. It brings meaning to who you are. It’s the smallest things that count.

On the days of heavy noise
And dull spirits
Take me to where the waves wash the sand clean
And scatter shells made so perfectly
That each one is like a prize.
Lead me to where the wind blows softly
Yet carries me along, to that haven
Where the birds fly in and out
From feathery nests and splendid corners
Regardless of change.
Lift me high up to the rooftops
Way out of range,
And let me watch the big red sun
At the end of the day
Cast its rosy glow
Before it slides peacefully away.
My soul is happy.

Lmh

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Turn the Page

Sometimes we yearn for small comforts…….I’ve slightly run out of steam due to various challenges today, but I have scribbled down these words. As my dad said – ‘onwards.’

Inside The Cover

I turned over and switched on the light,

The hours were still early

But I’d had enough of the night,

I picked up the book

I hadn’t read for a while –

The one with the turned-down pages

That made me smile. 

Inside the cover

An inscription was written

In a shaky hand

But lovingly given –

Perhaps you will find

Something useful here

So, upwards and onwards –

Be thankful, my dear.

But sometimes the tears fall

When pain rears its head – 

Anguish let loose

With a flashing of dread –

Because deep in our hearts

We are sometimes alone –

And words of comfort 

Feel like coming home.

No matter how many times

I read the same lines

The words gave me comfort

Time after time

And the thoughts that

Had been dancing 

A jig in my head

Lay right down

And went back to bed.

Lmh

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Be like the Butterfly…

For various reasons I have not been here recently. Life throws up storms from time to time as we all know. Sometimes it is hard to cope and we wonder why things happen as they do. But I have learned that showing up and putting one foot in front of the other helps, as does the kindness of friends.

Where would I be without my writing? I’m not sure, as writing helps me focus on the light. My writing, both in written stories and poetry is simple, but carries a message from my heart to yours. It’s a rocky ride, this world, but writing with hope helps keep my world, and hopefully yours, on its axis.

I read two things today which resonated with me, so I would like to mention them here. One of my favourite authors is Marian Keyes and I read an email from her this morning. She talked about how the world can be a scary place and how we can feel fearful (I’m paraphrasing), and struggle, but (and this is the bit I like): ‘You can’t set yourself on fire to keep others warm.’ We all want to save the world but we have to care for ourselves as well, before we can help others.

That leads me to the next thing that caught my eye somewhere. Words about a butterfly. ‘A butterfly won’t fly when it rains because the raindrops damage their wings. They rest and wait it out, it’s self preservation. It’s okay to rest during the storms in your life. Take all the time you need and you will fly again once the storm passes.’

We can fly
We can grow,
We can listen to
What we think we need to know.
We can dress
To impress
We can follow a plan,
As we carry our life
In the palm of our hand.
But remember, all the dreams we wrote
Lie tucked in the pocket
Of our old overcoat.

Lmh

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When the Sky Cries

Instruments of peace : Speaking kindly and forgiving others.

I’ve been trying to read about finding peace in today’s world. Whilst there are many articles and blogs about finding peace for one’s self and for one’s own situation, it is more difficult to read anything devoted to world peace. A wiser person than me would be able to explain all the factors involved in the current situations going on in the world, but even then, this does not give a solution. We see and listen to leaders and politicians, we watch reports on our screens of terrible things happening to innocent people before our very eyes. We watch, and yes, we are heartbroken, and deep down, we are worried for our own futures too, and especially those of our children.

This is an ‘if only’ time. If only those in power would look at the world differently. Imagine if there were no barriers, no separations, and if people lived side by side whatever their race or religion. If you viewed our world from afar, I think it would look magnificent. I don’t think one would see any walls or separations; astronauts report overwhelming emotion and feelings of identification with humankind and the planet as a whole when seeing the world from space. Step away and there is a bigger picture.

If only we could start to imagine a world without war. We tend to think of all the individual wars going on as separate entities, but that isn’t the way for our 21st century. What about war itself versus our survival? Perhaps our biggest task now is to learn to stand for peace.

We cope and carry on with our everyday lives, of course, we have to, but I wonder how parents cope in war-torn lands when all they long for, is for their children to have a normal life; to be able to go out and play without fear. Do the politicians think about them? When wars rage over so many unsolved conflicts, will the powers that be think of all the innocent children who aren’t going to be sleeping safely in their beds tonight? If only.

If you ask most ordinary people what they would like to achieve in life, the most common answer is to love and be loved, to be understood, and to have freedom. If only.

On our televisions, we have seen the anguish of people searching through the rubble for their loved ones and sorrow etched on people’s faces. We have seen mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers doubled up in pain and heartbreak. We have seen the unimaginable happen. And over here, we have had endless rain. The sky cries.

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A Place for Every Child…

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Compassionate Souls, the World Needs You!

I’ve been thinking about how we cope when all around us is in a condition of disarray. In the UK with the political situation nothing short of farcical, we could be forgiven for thinking that a decent solution to the current problems and deliberations will never be found. Choice for us is limited, in that no optimistic policies seem to be on offer for everyday citizens. People are struggling to keep their heads above water.

Perhaps it is time to close our ears to illogical political theories and time to sift through the rules foisted on us that are the results of sometimes selfish and manipulative governing. At least if we (peaceably) throw some light on things we disagree with or feel upset about we can highlight our concerns.

The world around us is suffering. This is nothing new – since time began there have always been monumental global challenges and there always will be. To list all the recent and ongoing global wars and tragedies would take us a long, long time, and finding a way forward seems impossible at times. We are heartbroken when we see innocent families fleeing their homes or living in hostile conditions. We despair when we hear of countries in turmoil. We are disturbed by examples of greed and question some social policies. We see the divide between rich and poor become ever greater. In Europe a lot of us were exasperated by Brexit. Perhaps we cling to on to the fragile bonds of national identity, but how do we find what connects us universally?

What do we do to keep sane in this insane world?

I think the key is to maintain our relationship with reality. And that is much harder than we think. I’m not talking about the diversionary reality of Reality TV or social media here but the real reality that connects everyone with everything. As humans, we are not all-powerful but we are all powerful. We need to remember that there is both huge advantage AND limitation with power. When we understand that, we are able to maintain our sanity and manifest a saner world. WE have the power to choose new responses and keep our own lifestyles healthy. We may not be able to control our politicians and the way they use their power, but we can at least keep ourselves real.

None of us are completely rational at times. We can be afraid of everything that could go wrong or we can accept reality and make the best of it. Reasoning is good but sometimes raw emotions are good too.. Showing you are upset about something you feel to be unfair can get results. Empathy is good. Getting depressed or angry about reality will not help us change things however. If we use our own inner power to our advantage we can become optimistic and have confidence to adapt to challenges and look for solutions.

Most of us look up to someone in this world whom we admire. Often the people we admire the most are the gentle and peaceful ones, the ones who have no agenda, and no great personal ambitions. And yet they make their mark. Coherent and compassionate people have no need to dominate others, instead they seek to help rather than be in competition with others. Compassion freely shown reverberates around us like ripples in a pond.

Many times, bad things are predicted by those who think they are ‘in the know’. We are warned that all sorts of ills may befall us or the country if we don’t adhere to various policies. But when I think back to last months news it is mainly not relevant today as there have since been new twists or turns. There are now new predictions! And this is true of so many predictions we are either faced with, or make ourselves. Often what concerned us yesterday is filed away and replaced by new concerns which in turn are replaced.

No one can deny that troubles occur, both in our immediate circles and in the outside world; often in life there is much to deal with. Interestingly, when we are focused on healing something in our own life, the outside world tends to carry on regardless and this should tell us something. We can just BE without being disconnected.

We are born with an inherent understanding of the world. It is a strange miracle that deep in our psyche we know things. When our minds are uncluttered we look benignly at the world and we are spiritually healthy. We are whole human beings and we have our own essence. Sometimes it is good to remind ourselves of that.

Don’t break your own spirit. Your sanity depends on seeing the world as a good place, having faith in one another and believing in human dignity – not just in our own small corner of the planet but all around the world. It is not what people have become in this world that makes them special necessarily- it is what they are inside and how they behave when no one is looking.

Everyone, even your greatest role models have had to cope with uncertainty at one time or another. Recognise you are part of a tribe of people who have amazing survival instincts. Out of the thousands of experiences we have in life, people doing wrong by us is not common. Most people are inherently good and we are biologically wired to love one another and to unite during bad times, and when we believe people are inherently good, this will determine how life treats us.

We can set an example. We can be the change.

Imagine the tapestry of love
Endless, yet light
Woven with gold
Shimmering bright
A blanket of kindness
For all it embraces
Reaching broken hearts
In the darkest places -
Oh! wear it please
It's one size fits all
It will wrap you in comfort 
If darkness should fall -
It's a gift for you
And kindness will be everywhere
For others will be wearing it too.
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The Mischievous Mind

The world seems to be a wobbly stack of blocks right now. So much is brought to our attention that we need to sift through, form an opinion on, debate and digest. It’s easy to feel we must dash out and straighten up our blocks, bolster up everything we can, and protect our own personal fortresses. But life is always unpredictable and no matter how we try, we cannot always protect everything or everyone we know and love. The only constant in life is that change happens. That is the paradox. Of course, some change is all to the good, but there is unrest in so many parts of the world, and a changing world brings fear and feelings of helplessness. We are bystanders to what’s happening in the world yet our minds are actively learning and absorbing. We are trying to form new ways of dealing with events as a result. There is a lot of unplanned and unexpected change going on in our minds. Some things are out of our control which adds to the worry for the future.

Look backwards to move forward

The mind can play mischievous tricks, especially during dark times. It can pluck manipulated news headlines from a dislocated source and wave them in front of our vulnerable eyes. It can lead us to believe everything we hear, because it is coming from somewhere we think we can trust. It can allow fears to escalate. It can make us sad. It can also take us to a place where we question everything we have come to believe in. It can make us forget that the world is a beautiful place and will keep on turning if we look after it.

How do we move forward? How do we calm the mischievous mind?Perhaps we have to look backwards first. See what went before and how we came to be here. Because we have all come from a place of love and a place of complete simplicity. When we were born we didn’t question why we were here. We were just here. We still are ‘just here’ -yes, we grew up and found our feet, and our place in the world, but if we can stay in the place of simplicity, we can stay grounded during turbulent times.

Major to minor

How do we stay in that good and simple place when we fear the changing world? What about those times when the storm seems to be raging and out of control? How do we reduce the major fears so that we CAN stay grounded? Think of changing from major to minor. Think of concentrating on what is right in front of you – the present. The present is all we really have and we need to look after it, be part of it and keep it simple when we can. Ego and striving can be parked.

We can cultivate compassion in a time when it is easy to feel anger about world events. Paying attention to kindness around us helps limit our judgements and helps us appreciate other perspectives.

It is interesting to look at musical key changes – to get from a major chord to its relative minor, you move down a whole and half step and yet you can keep the same melody. Perhaps we can say the same about what is going on around us. We can step down a bit, but keep our song going. Also, relative key changes can make music more interesting! This may sound trite but it’s not meant to. Life is serious for us all but we need to keep the music going.

'Be in the moment'
It says on the tin,
But keep hold of your memories
And lock them within.
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Reconnecting with Your Soul

Do you have times when you feel disconnected from the Universe? I think many people do. So much is happening around us and we are taken away from our inner core thinking and led to believe that our world is changing beyond all recognition. Many of us like our lives to retain a certain order of things – routines have been established in our lives that keep us grounded. Sometimes of course we need to embrace change, and if it’s from choice, we can benefit. But many things going on around us are out of our control, and life becomes frustrating. If we were to list our concerns presently, I think the lists would be long. I’m not going to itemise anything here – where would I start?! But I think most would agree that the is a lot of general unrest and distress in our world today.

It’s easy to get swept up in a storm of emotions. Life will always throw up the odd curve balls, unfortunately, and stressful situations can leave us drowning in negative thoughts. Think of the 3 am thought maelstrom – something I encounter from time to time! When we are caught in the storm that is the time we need to stop and centre ourselves.

How Do We Stay Centered?

When all around is raging (at least in your mind) it is time to stop fretting and be in the moment. Think about what is happening now – at this very minute in time. If you are in bed, listen to the nighttime sounds – the tick of the clock, the breeze in the trees outside the window, the hooting of the owls. Now you are in control of your emotions. Being focused on the now helps give you respite from stressful thoughts.

Being centred means staying calm and collected. It doesn’t mean you don’t get upset – it means you handle the stresses that come along in a better way.

Be a Compassionate Witness to Yourself

Realise that some things make us very sad. The news can be very upsetting and hard to process. Thoughts and feelings aren’t true or false, they are just there and real to us. Anger can rise in us too – but we can allow ourselves to tell our inner voice what is OUR truth and acknowledge what we feel to be right or wrong. Above all, we need to treat ourselves kindly.

Sadness envelopes us at times because we love. Being loving and compassionate to others is part of who we are and if we see others in pain, we are bound to react.

Imagine the Field of Positive Thought

This field exists I am sure, but for now, go there in your mind. It is beautifully green and fertile. The sky above is blue and the sun is shining. You can feel the warmth on your back. Many other people are there too. They are peaceful and smiling serenely. You all join hands and pray for peace. You feel your soul lift. You know you are acting for the common good and working to create trust and cooperation. You feel better for having been to the field and you are feeling hopeful. You can revisit the field whenever you need reassurance.

Look At The Stars

On a clear night, stand outside and look at the stars. How often do we do that? Look deeply at the deep blue velvet canopy above and relax. Stargazing is a stress reliever. It eases our minds and rejuvenates our spirits. Looking at the expanse of the sky helps problems become insignificant and tensions in the body and mind start to loosen. We can look at the sky and realise there are no boundaries or limitations – no borders to space or time. Planet Earth is beautiful, and beyond it lies a huge space, with secrets and experiences unrevealed.

Always the Small Things

The small things are the best things. And of course they are the big things. Write a small note to someone you really care about. Leave it on their pillow.

Leave a funny stick man drawing in your child’s lunchbox with a simple message telling them they are special.

Bake.

Be generous with time. It doesn’t cost anything and could make someone’s day.

Write a poem! Creativity is wonderful for the soul.

Smell the blossom. Spring is coming.

Thank you for showing me life can be good
With you, I know the world is full of people who care
And seek what is still beautiful and right.
Thank you for choosing softness in a hard world
And keeping your heart open instead of building walls.
I am grateful to you for your kindness 
When the darkness falls,
And for taking the time 
To point out the stars.
The world is a better place
When WE are in a better place
And harmony comes from gentle words
Spoken with grace.
Thank you for not being perfect
But for doing your best
And not making judgements.
Thank you for shining through difficult times
And wearing your Sunday best on grim days.
Thank you for showing up today.
Sometimes you need to hear that
And that's all I wanted to say.

Thank you.

Lmh
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Last days of December….

Some thoughts as the year draws to a close.

Remember to love.

Love sends good vibrations across the fields, the miles, the skies, and the oceans. Love has no borders. It never leaves us. It sits in our memories and stirs us when we need it. It appears in our dreams and runs through our veins. It made us. Like Christmas, love is never cancelled!

Be grateful for our world.

Most of us notice the sadness around us and hold space for all that is broken, and in the quiet corners of our minds, we may tremble at the thoughts of an unknown future, but let us picture a time where all the four corners of our precious world have been swept clean and we rejoice in new beginnings. 

Have faith.

I like to believe there is a power that is bigger than us, that is all-encompassing and loving, and I find that even though I have doubts, faith is what gets me through. Faith in a world that is inherently good and a life force that cannot always be explained and is beyond understanding. What compels eels to cross the Atlantic from the Saragossa Sea to spawn in the Irish rivers of their origin, or birds to cross whole continents, following a favoured route that no one could explain, to land atop the same trees every year? In the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives, we may overlook the miracles that occur and the awesome occurrences happening in nature on a daily basis.

The small things are the big things.

Kind smiles and softly spoken words can help when the world wears a muddled face. Small acts of consideration are like gifts that fill life’s empty spaces. A patch of blue sky after the rain, a cup of coffee shared with a friend. Someone telling you things will be okay, that they have your back. These are the things that matter. Oh! And when I sit at my desk, writing comes much easier to me when I play my personal Spotify list, full of peaceful music.

Small big things with my Grandchild

Today we saw a blackbird
Collecting feathers for her nest,
And beautiful white butterflies
Looking quite their best
And an aeroplane flew overhead
As you waved and rode your bike
Ten times around the flower bed - 
These are the days I like.

Be aware but be happy.

I think of my late dad who often came out with some classic observations. One day we were out on one of our little jaunts, perhaps off to the garden centre, and he sat as usual with one hand clutching his seatbelt and sucking in his breath …(I don’t think I am a particularly reckless driver, but still…) ‘You wouldn’t want to venture out on a journey these days without wing mirrors’ he said profoundly. I chuckled inwardly but I still hear those words and I love the hidden wisdom  – keep an eye on your surroundings whilst progressing.

Dust yourself off

For those times you feel things went wrong or life went a bit pear-shaped. Keep going. This time of year, we may feel we have over-indulged too, but we can always start again with the diet/yoga class/calming winter walks. There are no rules!

Daily choices are better than grandiose resolutions

I don’t feel New Year’s resolutions work. Not for me anyway. I gave up making them long ago. I take it a day at a time and try my best to make good choices with whatever life presents to me daily. And if I have faltered, any day I choose to start again is fine.

Shine a light.

I never like taking the Christmas decorations down! I love the twinkling lights on the tree and the familiar and well-loved pieces that come out every year. The Christmas season comes to a close too soon, and soon all the angels, fairies, elves and stars go back into their box for another year, poor things. I’ve learnt to cope with post-Christmas blues over the years by placing a new lamp in the window – a sort of compensatory light to keep the spirits up. It gives me a new routine to embrace and lights the still-dark winter evenings.

So, there is my short and eclectic mix of thoughts as we move forward towards 2023. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I wish you the best year possible. If you are facing tough times I hope you find comfort, peace and healing. 

Thank you for sticking with me!