Tag: Life

Categories
Uncategorized

A Short Autumn Story

A Story Situated in Real Time

The creatures living in the forest did not require a map to find their way there. They followed the path that led them through the undergrowth, over twisted roots and shiny flint laid out like a secret code. They didn’t need to unlock doors or pay for parking. Life was free here and they were welcome. The branches of the fir trees bowed their heads as the deer quietly and majestically passed by. The butterflies led the way, dipping and diving, kissing them with their wings. They had come to a place of peace. 

In autumn the forest flowers have laid their heads down and quietly retreated, but they lie unperturbed, knowing they will bloom again in the spring. The beech leaves fall, whispering in the wind, sometimes captured by a passer-by, and put in their pocket for luck.

The creatures of the forest know the secrets of the world. They know the clouds don’t just float above the trees, but hold the secrets of the night and wrap their arms around the moon and carry stars in their pockets. All is clear without the need for instructions or rules. There is a knowing and an acceptance for what is. The nightingale comes, and fills the night with a beautiful song, stretching its feathers like sheet music. It sings because the world is listening.

If you just pass by the forest, look towards the waving trees. ‘Here we are’ they say, ‘steady as you like’ as their arms reach up to the sun. 

Categories
Uncategorized

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?
Categories
Uncategorized

The Gift of Poetry..

Why words matter more than ever.

In these days, when our senses are bombarded with fast information and transitory moments, poetry offers a timeless gift -one that connects us with our deepest emotions, encourages reflection, and captures the beauty, and sometimes, challenges of life. The news flashes are relentless; we can’t help wanting to be informed, but the quiet moments when we can curl up in an armchair and read meaningful lines are essential for the soul.

Poetry transcends boundaries – geographical, linguistic and cultural. Across the globe, people write and appreciate poetry in countless forms, and often the themes of love and nature, struggle and hope are universal, thus connecting us all with shared experiences. If you look back at some of the ancient poets like Rumi, his work is just as relevant today as it was hundreds of years ago. Just think of his beautiful and thought-provoking words transcending time and filling our hearts just as if they were written for us yesterday. To me, that is a priceless gift from the past.

In this fast-paced world, the beauty of poetry can be enjoyed with little time commitment. While it encourages us to slow down and take a moment it doesn’t demand the same amount of time as a novel will, yet still invites us to pause and reflect. We can carry a little slice of heaven in our pockets!

Poetry has the power to heal. For both readers and writers, it offers comfort in times of pain and suffering, and even clarity where there is confusion. A few lines of a poem that sum up what we are thinking or feeling can turn things around on a difficult day, or make us laugh if we read something light-hearted.

Poetry is timeless, and yet it can also teach us a lot about the past, almost like a time capsule. By preserving the voice of a forgotten era it can inspire us and remain timeless at the same time.

The world news isn’t good as I write this post. In fact, I am lucky to be able to sit in my writing corner putting thoughts down. Others aren’t as lucky. Last night I climbed the stairs with a heavy heart and looked out across the sky before closing the curtains. I sat in my bed and wrote a poem.

Categories
Uncategorized

My Spiritual Slippers…

I like to think of myself as a spiritual person. I also embrace Christianity, having been brought up with a Church of England background. I seek a deep purpose and meaning in life while being a dreamer too. I feel grounded when I can feel the sunlight on my skin or the pull of the waves under my feet. I feel happy sitting at my desk creating poetry or a new story. These are the times I can wear my ‘spiritual slippers’; the more worn they are the better! (Okay, they are just ordinary slippers, but I think we all have those moments when we shut the door on the outside world, shrug off the day and put our slippers on – that, in its way, is a small spiritual happening!)

When life gets a little more tricky, and I am faced with challenges, then my spiritual slippers might get pushed to the back of the cupboard. Information overload, news bulletins, general media bombardment, personal worries etc., pile up like too much heavy furniture in a small room. When that happens it feels difficult to find the light.

I have always regarded myself as a sensitive person, one who sometimes struggles with processing difficult information and one who will zone out in loud or busy places. I can carry a heavy load and appear stoical but be prone to anxiety. Finding balance in these treacherous times can be hard, but looking more deeply into the way the world and its politics works is something I am aware I need to embrace. I have come to realise there is courage in owning a questioning mind. Equally, some things may never be explained and holding on to what is good is sometimes all we have.

I am going to think of my sensitivity as a superpower! It is up to highly sensitive people to warn others of impending storms, to find a peaceful path and test the water. I have superpowers. I am going to use them! Now, where did I put my spiritual slippers?

The light is out -
I'm turning in
My head trying to make sense
Of what's spinning within.
Then - these are the thoughts
That I like the most...
Tomorrow we will sit
And butter our toast
And have the luxury
Of planning small things.

Lmh
Categories
Uncategorized

Midsummer …Honouring the Light.

‘I must go and seek some dewdrops here, And hang a pearl in every cowslip’s ear.’ Fairy in A Midsummer Night’s Dream

The longest day has passed again. The time when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky and gives us our longest day of the year. This marks the second phase of the Earth’s journey around the sun – a time to nourish the seeds planted in the first phase. For centuries this time of the year has been marked with reverence and honour by people from all corners of the world. When the sun rose at 5am, and the light broke through the darkness of the day, it hit the ancient monument of Stonehenge directly in the centre, lighting up each pillar like a magical horseshoe. This awe-inspiring sight can only make us question how and why the people who came before us dedicated their whole lives in building such a monument. We cannot know precisely how they managed to do what they did but we can feel the divine rhythm and that connection to the movement of the Earth.

So many things in life cannot be explained and yet we marvel at them and can be refreshed emotionally. Perhaps after the rush of new growth and energy in Spring, Summer represents patience. A time to develop trust and confidence in ourselves and our future. In troubled times, this isn’t easy but the long summer days remind us to go outside and walk amongst the flowers. I watch an adult blackbird patiently feeding his young offspring – watch how, hour after hour, he collects the seeds and the crumbs, quite happy in the scheme of things. Perhaps our ancestors knew that to honour the sun was to celebrate the meaning of life and the importance of simple rituals and the art of nurturing life.

As I delve into the wisdom of the solstice, I come across a profound insight into the importance of setting intentions and tapping in to the energy that is surrounding us. Taking time to state what we need or hope for, and to be open to receiving energy and strength can provide us with a guiding light as we navigate the future.

If nothing else, take some time outside and stand in the sun. Feel the warmth of the sun rays on your face whilst standing in the light. Just like our ancient brothers and sisters who stood in the light long ago and observed the rising sun and all its majesty, you are here. For now.

Categories
Uncategorized

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

Categories
Uncategorized

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.

Categories
Uncategorized

A Place for Every Child…

Categories
Uncategorized

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.
Categories
Uncategorized

Walk the Glittery Path

As we wound our way around the village and walked towards the woods near Dove Lane, the path beneath our feet sparkled in the sun. Looking more closely, I could see there were hundreds of glass chips embedded in the tarmac. I had never noticed this before; maybe it was the direction of the sun or the time of day, but the effect was magical. The path glittered like something out of a fairy tale and I almost expected to see the King appear! I thought about the beauty that surrounds us and that whoever we are and whatever our circumstances, rich or poor, we are all entitled to walk the glittery pathway.

We are all created as equals. Sometimes it is easy to forget that. I certainly do. I think most of us at some time in our lives, have looked up to someone famous, mega wealthy or seemingly more accomplished than ourselves and felt overshadowed. It is a hard habit to shake off. But we all have our skills, our uniqueness that no one can take away! We can all have a chance to shine and take a walk in the sunshine. There are so many unsung heroes we may pass along the way; those who carry on in the direst circumstances and still raise a smile.

I walked with my soulmate in the bluebell wood today and we talked about life; how things sometimes surprise us and turn out differently than expected. We noted how sometimes it’s hard to take the rough with the smooth. How busy life can be at times, and how challenging. But would we really want to walk in anyone else’s shoes, however important they are?

I love this Malagasy proverb –

‘A canoe does not know who is King, when it turns over, everyone gets wet.’

I am certainly looking forward to watching the Coronation of King Charles 111; I will enjoy the pomp and circumstance, the making of history, and the feeling of times moving on, but I will remember the glittery path and all the unsung heroes that walk along it.

I hope you can walk the glittery path!

What did I do today?
Nothing I say,
Yet that can't be true
Because I sat here with you
And the sky was full
With soaring birds
With the sun on their wings.
Every ordinary day
Is full of perfect things.
                                  Lmh