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?
This year, the D-day anniversary seems more poignant than ever as we face more global atrocities. I’ve been delving into some of the archives and reading about some of the young men who bravely set out on that June day eighty years ago to do their best for their country. The events of 6th June 1944, have achieved near – mythical status, but it’s so important to remember D -Day was a momentous battle fought by very real people. One can only imagine the fear and sadness that lived in the hearts of parents who waved goodbye to their sons, not knowing if they would see them again. And what of the men themselves? What must they have felt as they arrived at the coast to see the heaving sea heavy with vessels and the skies overhead full of aircraft? Who could ever tell us what went through the minds of young men who should have been at home fretting about nothing more than their studies or getting to work on time. The battle is extremely well documented and I’m not here to recount the actual events…I’m just here to draw attention to the boy next door with the smiling face who bravely stepped out that day, and all the other ones like him who didn’t make it home. I hope new generations go forth with peace in their hearts because of them.
D-Day
Did you wake that early summer’s day, And think of home Where everything was where it had always been And your mother waited - Uttering prayers until she Folded like a pack of cards. I saw someone like you smiling, As they bravely looked ahead, Somehow finding courage As they left their future On a windswept beach. And when the little ships Stormed the shores of Normandy Did the screaming skies Watch you hold your falling comrades And know the cost of liberty? Did someone speak your name And reach for your hand As you fell asleep In a foreign land? Oh, the beaches may be empty now, But the tide endlessly turns, To whisper the names Of long-lost souls.
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! Step outside when everything gets a bit much, take a breath and watch the blackbird. He knows how to love and he is getting ready for spring without sweating the small stuff!
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.
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 2024. 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.
And here’s a quote for those days when everything does go a bit pear shaped…..
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.
Do you ask: ‘What is the world coming to?’ I do. I think we live in such turbulent times that it is hard to work out what or whom to believe in. So much of what we are faced with on a day-to-day basis – the politics and the rules we are made to abide by, seem to be made to suit some and not others. There seems to be so much unfairness and lack of consideration for others. Have those holding the reins ever experienced poverty or scarcity?
I find myself reading and listening to the news and then wondering why. There is a distinct feeling that we are only being fed what others wish us to hear and I ask myself if that is helpful.
However, it has always been my policy not to get too political on my blog, after all, it is all about pursuing the gentler path! What I will ponder on though, is this: what do we do in times of chaos? Who do we look to and where do we find the answers to our worries and fears for the world? Can we find it in ourselves to bring about change? Do we try and stand up and take action or do we try and make the world a better place with meditation and positive thinking? Perhaps it’s a bit of both. I know that getting outside always seems to calm the mind – nature has a way of giving us answers without having to say anything at all.
Thank you for reading and staying with me. If you enjoy my poetry, I can be found on Instagram at @littledovepoetry_ I’d love you to join me.
I hope you can find a quiet and shady spot today...as I write, the temperature is reading 34 degrees ...hotter than we are used to in England! As they say, 'this too will pass' and will probably become a distant memory before too long! In the meantime, my writing desk is piled with work for another, cooler day, so I leave you with a handful of poems.
May you find shady, quiet nooks in which to read and contemplate.
I Will
I will sit in the apple orchard
And feel the warmth of the sun,
I will watch the dancing butterflies
And watch the children run.
I will see the kaleidoscope of colours
Unfolding all around
And feel the memory of a hundred summers
Fall like feathers to the ground.
I will hold nothing more than dreams
And love and love and love,
For this is all we have it seems
But then, all we need IS love.
I will let the day run its course
And mark the time only by falling shadows
And feel the peace
Only the wise man knows.
I will forget to ask for answers
To how and why and when,
And know that though the darkness falls
The world will turn again.
Lmh
Be Hopeful
I had a conversation with the night
As I had time to spare,
I asked it what the world looked like
From the midnight sky up there.
The moon peeped through the window
All silvery and light
And told me from where he was
Earth was a magical sight.
I told him there where divisions
That spread throughout the land
And there was sadness and unrest
That was hard to understand.
He said once his shift was finished
He'd hand over to the sun,
Then talk to his superiors
To see what could be done.
And as I waited below
'Be hopeful', he said with a smile,
'Tuck love under your pillow
And rest there for a while.'
Lmh
Sweet Peas
A tangle of petals
Lilac, pink and white
Bunched together
In haphazard delight.
A handful of summer
Is the gift that I bring,
Soft scent to stir the memory
Tied up with string.
Lmh
I am not wise enough to comment on the shocking situation in the world today. I can only try and concentrate on anger somehow dissolving, reason taking the place of fighting and new life evolving in a way which at the moment we cannot see.
We have to believe we are part of a bigger and better picture, even if we cannot see it, and part of an all-loving Universe even if we cannot feel it. We can be part of humanity where we see those who feel invisible rather than those who are in the limelight and part of a place where we don’t nurture our fears at the expense of others, or turn our backs when others weep. In the long quiet hours with the challenge of despair we long to find a place of hope and new life, for here is where all bad things are banished, no explanations are needed and yet we know everything we need to know.
Let us pray for broken hearts to mend, and that the hands of those in power let go of the reins and review the compass so that we can all find the right way.
In an all-loving Universe generous, kind hearts do their best for the common good.
How fiercely we must hope and pray for Ukraine and for all of us. We pray for peace.
Christmas to me is the one time of the year when the atmosphere changes completely. I’m not talking about the commercial frenzy that assaults us from every angle, or the busy build-up to Christmas Day itself with all the stress involved. It is much more intangible than that. It is a feeling that stirs emotions and opens the heart. It is the feeling of concern for others, and even the resurfacing of grief that lies within us. A sadness that those we have lost are no longer with us to maintain the family traditions, to bring out the old familiar Christmas decorations and the expressions dear to us.
Step out into the quiet, still night and look at the stars, and there is a sense that the Universe is holding its breath just like it did over two millennia ago.
The Sankofa bird is a symbol that is used to explain the Sankofa, a word in the Akan Twi and Fante language of Ghana that translates to ‘retrieve’: go back and get. The bird has its head turned backwards while its feet face forward carrying a precious egg in its mouth. It is often associated with the saying: ‘It is not wrong to go back to what you have forgotten.’ It teaches us we should reach back and gather the best of what our past has to teach us so that we can move forward.
That is what is beautiful about this time of the year. We can reflect as we prepare our homes for Christmas, and remember all those who have gone before us who did the same. People change, times change, politics change, but the message of Christmas remains the same.
May we be filled with hope for new and better beginnings, and pray for peace to wrap itself around our brothers and sisters who are struggling both here and on distant shores, pray for mothers and fathers to be able to keep their children warm and fed, and for lovers to be able to hold each other in safety. For the little children who suffered unspeakable torment at the hands of those who they should have been able to trust, may they find eternal rest.
Footsteps on the snowy field
Left no lasting mark
Yet you walked there once
Hugging the Christmas tree.
A candle glowed in the window
And with sweet relief
You fell inside
In a tangle of scented branches.
It was different then, yet the same,
The children were just as excited,
The tree was lit
And Santa was expected.
The kitchen was warm like spice
And family came
To hug and greet you
And sit around the table.
Nothing changes
Though the world moves on
Thinking it knows best.
Still, we sing of angels,
And on this Silent Night
A tall tree bows, and remembers.
Lmh.
I sat and wrote a new poem this week. It seemed to come almost like a message from a dream. It flowed from my pen. I usually write about all things peaceful and try not to dwell on negativity, yet I don’t feel I can shuffle these thoughts away into a corner without airing them.
We are living through turbulent times. This we know. But the clocks tick on whilst we are searching for healing and a gentle, benign hand to soothe us. And even when the peaceful, kind ones among us search for the right answers, the undercurrent of negative forces can pull us under or in the wrong direction.
But the quiet listener will understand.
Today it is Holocaust Memorial Day, and tonight I will light a candle and let it shine from my window. I listened to a lady of 97 being interviewed this week. She is a Holocaust survivor and suffered greatly during the Second World War. She has recently recovered from COVID-19. She advised everyone to keep going and never to give up. She was the epitome of hopefulness and courage.
‘I Believe in the sun even when its not shining. And I believe in love, even when there’s no one there. And I believe in God, even when He is silent.’
The above was scratched on the wall of a cellar in the Auschwitz concentration camp.
I know that as human beings we will never agree about everything and nor should we. But if we can learn to join together in the ways that matter and that work toward the common good, we will be facing the sun.
Understanding
How can we ever understand life,
The unsteady see-saw
Between bliss and strife?
This beautiful, fragile world
That is full of unrest,
And slips from the keeping
Of those with only love to invest,
And now lies open to greed and weeping.
How can we feel the benefit
Of reckless power that rushes
In the name of help,
Yet turns its back on all it crushes?
Is there a place out there
Where we have a right to choose-
To take what is fair
And know what to refuse?
Where fresh eyes see
What is really there,
As light falls on truth
And lays it bare.
In the room where others listen only to reply,
The quiet listener understands,
And learns how to fly
With knowledge in his hands.
(C) L.M.H.
Notes From Dove Lane 