Thankful Thursday - Blogtoberfest 2013 - It's Halloween!

Today is the last day of Blogtoberfest 2013 and it's also Halloween. The days are flying by as ever, and each one is packed full to the brim. I am very thankful to have had this October time to blog everyday, it has helped me to get back into blogging more regularly. I am also very thankful, (and was quite taken aback when I realised it was the very last day today), that Octoberfest is over. I am ready again for a little more laid back approach to blogging.

Here are some more things that I am thankful for on this 31st October:

Mr Greenfingers! Of course. Here is the Pumpkin he carved today. Pretty basic carving you may say(have you seen all of those amazing carvings of famous people they do these days?), however I think it may be the first time ever he carved a Halloween Pumpkin.

More to the point, Mr Greenfingers is exceedingly clever with his greenfingers as he also grew this Pumpkin on his allotment. Wow! Pumpkin soup also being cooked up by my multi-talented Mr!

Mr Greenfingers is going to be a Grandad. We are very thankful that his daughter is back in his life. While we have been a little bit windswept by the pace of change here in the past six months, I am thankful that his daughter wants him in her life and that he will have the chance to be a Grandad. There will be the chance to carve so many more Pumpkins, make so many more birthday cakes and give all of the love he has to give (which is an awful lot) to these very precious people who are now safely home.

My Pumpkin runneth over!

Wordless Wednesday - Blogtoberfest 2013 Day 30

Talkative Tuesday - Blogtoberfest 2013 Day 29

Click to visit Amazon.co.uk

I'm all talked out today, so instead of rambling on for ages about challenges and how tired I am, I thought I would talk a bit about this book and the associated documentary which is on T.V tonight at 10pm.

I had never heard of this documentary which was made and screened 38years ago, about an eleven year old boy call Michael Cooper who was taken into the UK Care System after coming to the attention of Services when he started to set fires.

Michael and the film maker, were both on a mainstream news programme earlier in the week which is how I heard about tonight's update. Michael has spent the last four decades in and out of prison, secure mental hospitals and halfway houses, sometimes running away to the house of the film-maker Franc Roddam. Sadly Mini the child, went through the care system and never really came out the other side until now with the writing of his autobiography. He spoke in the news programme about how he was lied to after running away to Roddam's house and being returned to care, that Roddam did not want to see him anymore. This wasn't the case at all, his carers simply wanting him to stop running away.

It is a very sad story and an important one for those who are responsible for standards in our current care system, those who hold the purse-strings and for those who work in the system. While it raises all sorts of questions about filming young and vulnerable children who cannot fully give their consent, it is also an important film for highlighting the impact of a distrupted childhood and life in care on a person's adult life.

I am not sure if this revisiting of Mini's story and the release of his autobiography is linked to the fact that this week is National Care Leaver's Week:

"National Care Leavers’ Week is about highlighting the needs of care leavers, and encouraging the agencies responsible for looking after them to work in a coordinated and effective way. The week is also about focussing the minds of politicians on the lack of support for these uniquely vulnerable individuals and raising public awareness about an invisible minority who face a particular set of challenges as they enter adult life. It’s easy to brush them and their problems under the carpet - we are determined not to let that happen."

 Off to watch and then to order the book. Hopefully it will help to change things for children in the system today. 

A Monday Mosaic - In Honour of the last Monday of Blogtoberfest 2013

Last Sunday Snippets - Blogtoberfest 2013 is coming to an end.

There is a storm heading our way tonight and tomorrow, with up to 90 mile an hour winds, apparently. It's windy here already and this past week has been a very wet one so far. I've been long distance driving quite a bit this week for my work. While it's not one of my favourite things to do, driving on the motorway and in very heavy rains, I have been thinking ahead to January when I will be doing this much more regularly for the course/training I am taking.

I started the week very discouraged and tired, worrying about January really. By Friday however, I was in a more positive frame of mind and quite excited at the challenge ahead. Still very tired this weekend however. In fact I am thinking of having a Sunday afternoon nap.

The storm has been named "St Jude" as Monday is this saint's feast day. I decided to find out a little bit more about Saint Jude, who is the patron saint of depression and lost causes. Prayers to St Jude can be said by those in difficult circumstances to ask for help, and encouragement to them keep going. Hopefully no-one will be too badly affected by the storm that they will need to ask for help from St Jude. Maybe it will blow itself out by the time it reaches our shores.

Hopefully I will find the strength too, to deal with the challenge that lies ahead. I am looking forward to it really, as it is a fabulous and rare opportunity. However I'm under no illusions that it will be easy and I know it will press all of my buttons. I will need to stay mindful and healthy if I am to "succeed". I need to start now in getting myself into good condition physically and mentally. It's like starting to train for a marathon!

 One of the tutors said this week that we shouldn't be thinking of "failure" at this stage, however I suppose it is natural to be a little anxious. This is going to take a great deal of energy; some steep learning curves in certain areas that I know I find difficult; and a challenging of my own old perceptions of myself. There is the possibility that this will enable me to step up in ways I have avoided in the past, and it could be just what I need.

Here are this week's Snippets:

21st October - it's 6.15pm and I'm on my way home past my favourite little church.

22nd October - the evening sky is so beautiful tonight.

23rd October - driving home and a stop at my last appointment means time to take in this rapidly changing sky - dramatic!

24th October - After my very important meeting - a mid-day photograph today(and right into the sun doh!).

25th October - Burning smelly candles in the house a lot at the moment.

26th October - Love this chandelier in my hairdresser's waiting area.

27th October - Mr Greenfingers has been growing pumpkins at his allotment.

Six or Seven thoughts on a Saturday - Blogtoberfest 2013 Day 27

A ramble through my mind on a slow Saturday afternoon.

1. My son has given me some ideas for getting myself organised ready for starting my training/uni course in January. He suggests evernote for my .......(er now what was that he said?); and dropbox for my.....er documents I think. He also suggests I resurrect my delicious account for whatever it was I used it for before I got distracted and it got all clogged up with all those interesting articles I never had time to read.

Thought number one therefore is.....How do I become more organised when my on line world is so full of interesting things and apps and websites etc etc? How can I simplify? More to the point how can I be ruthless and prune back all of the overgrowth of information without losing important (very very important sources of information and delight?). How can I focus down to my studies and still be me? Oh and how on earth can I stop my rambling mind from going at top speed from one thing to another all of the time? Am I a hopeless case?

Well I think this one thought and all it's sub-thoughts is more than enough for today. Don't you?  Six or seven might just cause my brain to explode. I am off to read about map makers and Gandhi in a "real" paper newspaper offline and on the sofa.

Link Love October Mission and Friends on Friday rolled into one - Blogtoberfest 2013

Today's Link Love October Mission #4 is on the theme of blogs that always make me smile. So here are five of my most favourite blogs. I have probably mentioned them once or twice before but hopefully you will love them so much too that you really don't mind that.

1. Top of the list is bigfouroh , where Birdie is almost always guaranteed to raise a smile and often a guffaw, even on some of her darkest days.

2. Lee's art work on her blog Defining Me never fails to bring a smile. Especially today!

3. This is a very new blog for me, but Darlene's work and blog are so vibrant and her posts so varied and full of gorgeous energy, that I am starting to visit more and more often. This drawing today is so beautiful it takes my breath away.

4. Donna's photography based blog is always a joy to visit and I have a sneaky preference for her "It's all about the little things" posts on Fridays. Her links are always so much fun!

5. Another gorgeous and colourful new-to-me blog here with it's beautiful and smiling author Deb. I just have to dive in as often as possible, it makes me feel so warm and inspired.

Click to visit Daisy Yellow

Thankful Thursday - Blue skies and Berries. Blogtoberfest 2013 Day 24.

Today I am thankful for a lovely blue sky. It made getting up extra early and driving a little bit further than usual a joy. In fact on the way out of town and before I hit the motorway, I saw two Geese fly over the road, their long necks straining as they appeared to be heading down into a field on the other side. Then as I reached the traffic lights, there was a whole flock of Geese "taking off" across the sky, flying away to warmer climates perhaps. Apparently they are only a "gaggle" when not in flight.

Very grateful also today that the motorway journey was manageable, and that the lorry that was veering wildly in front and to the side of me, managed to right itself and did not crush my little car under it's great big nasty wheels.

Thankful for the kind people who I asked for directions this morning, after getting lost again following google maps directions! Grr! Special thanks to the taxi driver who sorted me out in the end, even giving me a pen on which to write his, much clearer directions, down on my bit of raggedy scrap paper.

Very thankful that I arrived at my very important meeting on time and with time to spare! And didn't as is my usual style, enter the room with a flurry and a noisy disturbance! My brave for today was sitting in that room and not running scared!

Thankful that the petrol station was nearby and that I managed to make it there without running out, after the meeting was finished. There was also coffee and panini.

Thankful for time to stop and look at the blue skies and a hedgerow full of glorious colours.

Wordless Wednesday - Blogtoberfest 2013 Day 23

Talkative Tuesday - Blogtoberfest 2013 Day 22

Oh it's Tuesday again. What to talk about? Funny when I sit down and try just to ramble on like this my mind goes a total blank. I used to be someone who was terrible at parties as I would only ever talk about work. At the time, sadly, work was about the only thing going on in my life that was safe to talk about!

You know? When your life feels like one great big pool of shame? Apart from work which allows you to present as someone who has all her sh*t together! "I'm a grown up really I am." "Look at me I have a responsible job." "Don't send the men(or women) in white coats just yet. Please."

"I used to be a Werewolf (but I'm alright noooow)." (An old friend of mine always used to say this just before she threw her head back and howled at the moon.)

 
Yesterday I sent off a form for the course/training I am hoping I will be starting in January. You know the form that says you are "fit", "sane" and "healthy". I am a bit worried due to being honest on the form about my mental health history. Of course I have to be honest, and I am aware that the University and Local Authority have to check that we are ok to undertake such a intensive course and to work with families and children that are "troubled". But you know me by now dear readers, I will worry about the smallest thing and this is a pretty big deal really.While I wouldn't want my mental health history to prevent me from doing this, I am also aware that I may be pushing myself into a situation that may not be good for me! Why is nothing simple?

I have been reading on Twitter about this issue with the portrayal of people with Mental Health issues in one of the UK's biggest theme parks. The article I linked to there highlights that a campaign against the attraction's stereotyping of mental health in-patients has been started by a student mental health nurse at The University of Salford. This blogger also highlights the concerns people have by blogging the letter she wrote to the Theme Park objecting to the portrayal of mental health patients as dangerous to the general public. She quite rightly points out people with mental health issues are more likely to be victims and as she says "are vulnerable and need our care not our fear." Luckily my mental health issues have been relatively minor(even if they do not feel that way), and have not led to me being hospitalised. I still feel very strongly about trying to help fight the stigma and improve services for people who become ill. The organisation Rethink talks here about why celebrating World Mental Health Day(October 10th) is important if stigma and ignorance about illnesses is to be addressed.

Well I managed to ramble on a bit, it helps the worrying to write it all down! Bit public here though. Ah well! It might help someone else to read this.

Musical Monday and Lemmings - Blogtoberfest 2013

While watching The Andrew Marr Show a few weeks ago, I saw a new-to-me band, HAIM, singing their new song "The Wire". I've been singing it ever since, very catchy it is; the video is rather funny too. Great to see an all female band and all playing instruments.

Nothing much to report here. Rainy day Monday today, and work involved a long, long journey through the driving rain. I hate motorway driving especially in heavy rain. My imagination runs away with me as I imagine myself having an accident!

I once (20 years ago) went spinning around on the motorway in heavy rain (in my car of course), and was lucky to walk away without a scratch. This kind of weather always brings that memory back. At the time, it was a long while before I could drive on motorways again and always took the A-roads to work and back after that.

I often think that human beings on the motorway in thick fog or other types of hideous weather conditions, are rather like Lemmings following each other off a cliff.

Picture found here

On that cheery note - enjoy the music.

Sunday Snippets - Blogtoberfest 2013

"Have good trust in yourself - not in the one that you think you should be, but in the one that you are." 

 - Maezumi Roshi 

Monday is for Yoga - 14th October

The horizon is glowing tonight - 15th October

October Swan in the rain - 16th October

Space - 17th October

Tickets! - 18th October

Colours of food - 19th October

Reclaiming my space - 20th October

 Horoscope for Aquarius (week beginning the 17th October).

"Here's the horoscope I would like to be able to write for you by the first week of December: "Congratulations, Aquarius! Your quest for freedom has begun to bear tangible results. You have escaped a habit that had subtly undermined you for a long time. You are less enslaved to the limiting expectations that people push on you. Even your monkey mind has eased up on its chatter and your inner critic has at least partially stopped berating you. And the result of all this good work? You are as close as you have ever come to living your own life -- as opposed to the life that other people think you should live."

And further wisdom from Rob Brezsny: 

To be the best pronoiac explorer you can be, I suggest you adopt an outlook that combines the rigorous objectivity of a scientist, the "beginner's mind" of Zen Buddhism, the "beginner's heart" of pronoia, and the compassionate friendliness of the Dalai Lama. Blend a scrupulously dispassionate curiosity with a skepticism driven by expansiveness, not spleen.

To pull this off, you'll have to be willing to regularly suspend your brilliant theories about the way the world works. Accept with good humor the possibility that what you've learned in the past may not be a reliable guide to understanding the fresh phenomenon that's right in front of you. Be suspicious of your biases, even the rational and benevolent ones. Open your heart as you strip away the interpretations that your emotions might be inclined to impose.

"Before we can receive the unbiased truth about anything," wrote my teacher Ann Davies, "we have to be ready to ignore what we would like to be true."

At the same time, don't turn into a hard-ass, poker-faced robot. Keep your feelings moist and receptive. Remember your natural affection for all of creation. Enjoy the power of tender sympathy as it drives you to probe for the unimaginable revelations of every new moment. "Before we can receive the entire truth about anything," said Ann Davies, "we have to love it." 

It has been a good week. I hope that yours has been a happy and safe one too. 

Six or Seven thoughts on a Saturday - Blogtoberfest 2013 Day 19

During one of the periods where I was attempting to incorporated meditation into my life, I read something about witnessing and labelling thoughts. The idea is that you name the thoughts when they come and say to yourself something like, "Oh there I go remembering," or "there goes a planning thought" or a "complaint" or a "worry". The article I linked to above is much more complex that that but can be easily simplified into coloured/non-coloured and useful/non-useful thoughts. I enjoyed the way it describes how we can try to train our mind by speaking to it, for example by saying, "mind let this thought go."

Today I noticed that many of my thoughts for quite some time now(months rather than years), have been either complaints, worries or regrets. There are periods when I feel unable to control these thoughts and that is when I am in the midst of a depression or when anxiety takes me over.When I am well, getting enough sleep and looking after myself I am usually very aware of this, and do attempt to control any negative patterns. Today it really hit me how unpleasant these thoughts are and how heavy they make me feel. I could really see and feel the contrast between these patterns and more "balanced" thinking.

So for today's six or seven thoughts, I will be identifying(or trying to identify) the types of thoughts that have been dominating this week. Although the idea is really to observe thoughts during meditation, label and let them "float off"; becoming more aware of the types of thoughts and which patterns are habitual is an interesting exercise.

1. Pleasant reflection, 2. emotion (interestingly it is on the list above as a thought process), 3.imagining and 4.evaluation:
these four types of thoughts have been occupying my mind this week, mainly being about Mr G and his daughter(one of our twenty-something lodgers). On Thursday they spent the day together and he made her a birthday cake. I was at work and all day I was imagining them together doing this, and imagining how he must be feeling. Later he told me that she was being a monkey and eating the chocolate and generally getting under his feet - like a child again. Beautiful.

This is the first birthday of hers they have spent together in 17 years and last night we took her and her boyfriend/fiance out for a Chinese meal. This morning we all got up to watch her open her presents. These are such "normal" occurrences for us with our extended family here and with my son. We tend to make a fuss of each other on our birthdays and I do confess, probably spend far too much money. His daughter told us this was unusual for her Mother and that birthdays were not celebrated in any big way in her childhood. I am so happy for Mr G and for her that they have had this lovely time together this year. Tears are not very far away as I think of them together as he made her cake.

Her mother took the children away(out of the country) when they were very small and though Mr G had contact for a time(six years), when she met another man eleven years ago, she moved again and this time did not tell him where she and the children were. His daughter was put on the phone one day, at age 12, and told him he was not her daddy anymore, this new man was her daddy now.

As I imagined how he must be feeling during the day on Thursday, being the dramatic creature  I am, I thought, if he died now he would die happy. Knowing the grief he has felt for so many years, and having felt it too at times, I would imagine that it was like all his dreams come true all at once. He has only been able to imagine days like this one, and very nearly lost hope. I really don't know how we came though those terrible years. My thoughts this week have been about the present time.

Sometimes you just want to freeze a moment or a time in your life, and hold it suspended.

4. Complaint/resentment, 5.Worry and 6.Planning
As I wrote above, I spend a lot of time complaining lately. Years ago I was very conscious about not complaining, I didn't really do much of it but I do seem to be a lot grouchier these days. Maybe it's because I am getting older?! For months, (since May) I have mainly been complaining about our young lodgers. I am so happy that Mr G's daughter is with us, however it has taken some doing to get used to having her and her boyfriend living in our house. They are in their early twenties but one of my big complaints is that they behave more like teenagers around the house. While I understand completely that they are coming from a different culture, generation and upbringing, I get full of rage sometimes about the smallest things.

Me being me, I have been working on being more compassionate while still being able to express my discontent and negotiate boundaries. I am always striving to deal with things in a more balanced way. I am doing well, though I do say it myself. What I have come to realise is, that all the grief and loss of the past 10 years since he lost the children for the second time, and the anger I feel towards his ex-wife, has put a big strain on me too, and having them about the house has brought those feelings to the surface. Anyway, I am feeling much more gratitude these days and have stopped agonising about flipping out! I feel less guilty and more relaxed.

Worry is a biggy for me, it is my middle name. Currently Mr G is going to be out of work very soon, he is just waiting to hear about the final decision. I am also giving up my job to return to (paid) study and training, in January. I am worried. I worry. Yoga is helping.

Planning. I love this type of thinking though I do tend to be more impulsive and planning is not my strength. Planning holidays is something I am really good at. I love researching places and panning a really active and full visit. Currently I am having fun planning the spare room - which as I posted about a few days ago, is now my study and art room. I plan to do some art journalling tomorrow.

How do you get on with your thoughts? Do you meditate? How do you manage any negative patterns?

October Link Love Mission - theme free week for me.

I am having a week off from the themes over at Daisy Yellow this week. I felt that I already share so much that is personal and "me-centred" here, so the thought of "curating" my blog by "listing five posts I almost didn't post", felt a little bit too vulnerable.

In addition we were off out tonight to celebrate Mr G's daughter's birthday and so I felt this would be the quicker option........

So here are five links to interesting and caring blogs/sites that grabbed my attention his week instead.

1.At  Notes from the Frugal Trenches this week, there was news about a project in China, for which I knitted a baby cardigan a couple of years ago. The charity is called Butterfly Children's Hospices which cares for orphans (children living in an orphanage) who were in need of palliative care and/or highly intensive specialised medical care. Often these children who are sick or disabled can be abandoned more often due to a combination of cultural factors. 

2. I am always glad to read articles such as this one from Rebelle Society ; the articles are always so full of wonderful wisdom.
 
3. I was very moved this week by this poem by Moondustwriter. It has prompted me to look at how I can help.

4. I posted about this Documentary made by Stephen Fry yesterday. It is about the human rights abuses against gay people around the world and makes difficult viewing. However it is so important that these and other crimes against humanity are fought against and I feel so strongly, that I thought I'd link to it again tonight.

5. Love these giant Kelpies.Can't wait to go visit them, but for now these links will have to do. 

 Have a lovely weekend all. See you tomorrow. 

Thankful Thursday - Blogtoberfest 2013 Day 17

Reasons to be thankful this week include......

1. The land of spare-oom is mine all mine again. Mr G has been kindly putting up wallpaper and painting it for me. We haven't touched that room since we moved into the house nearly 10 years ago and it became something of a junk room for most of that time. Guests have come and gone, then it briefly became my art/computer room, then a bedroom for Mr G's daughter with whom he was finally reunited last year. More recently it has been home to her and her boyfriend, and now it is mine again as they have moved into my son's old room which is much bigger. It is  all set to be my art room again for about three months, before it then becomes my "dungeon" where I shall spend long hours chained to my desk(which we have yet to purchase) studying for 14 months from January.

I am very thankful for Mr G's kindness and care; and very, very grateful for my own space again.

The Land of Spare Oom - October 17th 2013

2. I am grateful for Stephen Fry's Documentary that was shown this week, all about homophobia around the world. The whole two episodes made difficult viewing when Stephen interviewed young people who are gay and who had suffered terrible persecution for their sexuality. One of the most harrowing was the rape of a young woman in Uganda when she was 14 years old, to try to "correct"her sexual orientation. This beautiful and courageous woman became pregnant, was forced to have an abortion and then discovered she was HIV positive.

 Below is a clip of him in Russia discussing new laws there against the "promotion of homosexuality". He also interviewed some young people in Russia, one girl had been beaten almost to death and ended up in intensive care due to her being gay. Stephen also met with a mother in Brazil whose 13 year old son was tortured, abused and murdered for being gay. His murderers have not been prosecuted. Stephen tried to commit suicide whilst filming in Uganda. I am thankful that he is still alive and was able to complete this brave and compassionate film. I know that it will help young people all over the world to feel less alone.

"And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."

- John 1:5 King James Bible

Wordless Wednesday - Blogtoberfest 2013 Day 16

Talkative Tuesday - Warning - This post is not at all funny - no really.

"One loses many laughs by not laughing at oneself."

- Sara Jeannette Duncan

Well Tuesday is the day in Blogtoberfest, that I can ramble on about anything I like for a post.

Unfortunately like last week I am completely blank about what to "talk" about, and it is almost bedtime. I thought I'd write about the above quote that turned up on my bedside calendar on Sunday, as I have been pondering it ever since and how I really must try to laugh at my ridiculousness more often.

That quote is so true.

When I actually stop to think about it, I am the funniest person I know. There is truly much to laugh at.
 Regular readers may know that I am a very serious person indeed.

I do have a sense of humour but it often seems well buried by anxiety, and is just a little bit out there, a bit cynical and dark.

 I used to make jokes about myself as a way of overcoming the social anxiety I felt. However the feedback I got was that it indicated that I had low self-esteem and was putting myself down. I still seem to have something of a reputation for low confidence and self-esteem with people I knew from a few years ago. That was at the workplace where I became very depressed and almost disappeared. Maybe I overdid it with the self-deprecating humour.

It's so sad (and of course funny too and rather endearing) that I am unable to deliver a joke, as I always forget the punchline; but that when I try to make people laugh by laughing at myself and my foibles, they do not think it is at all funny.

I wonder if it is my style of delivery -  kind of miserable really.

I couldn't find a clip of Jack Dee which clearly demonstrated how similar I am to him (except of course I am not a famous and successful stand up comedian). So this one will have to do.....

On further thought my humour is more a cross between Jo Brand and Jack Dee (except I'm not at all funny).

Luckily the people that know me the best, often think I am funny. I do need to laugh at myself more and in a kinder way. On the yoga mat this is working quite well as I try to follow the teacher's poses - the whole room is full of people laughing at themselves. I suppose, like everything in life, there has to be a balance. Laughter should always be balanced with compassion and love. When we laugh at ourselves we are laughing at the human condition and our own unique contribution to the wonderfulness of this.

See how serious my post about laughing at myself was. I did warn you.

Musical Monday and ramblings - Blogtoberfest Day 14

"The path to enlightenment is day by day, pose by pose, breath by breath, moment by moment. And, we have a better chance of growing in that direction when we choose to love ourselves along the way." - Amber Shumake

Off to yoga tonight so quick post before I'm on my way. Thought I'd post this song by Pink as I was introduced to it during the 100 days project and it has become an ear worm. Last week I visited a client and heard it playing there also. Must be a reason.

 

The link above contains so much wisdom btw.

 

Everyday I am taking baby steps to learning to love again. Myself and my fellow human beings. It is not something that comes easy to me. I said to Mr G the other day that I'm not good at people. It's strange really as I'm good at my job that involves working intensely with people but in my own life I really suck at people. 



Sunday Snippets(with matching song titles for added interest) - Blogtoberfest 2013 #365 days

7th October - Windmills In My Mind.

8th October - Day Tripper.

9th October - Evening Sun

10th October - Kitten's got claws

11th October - Parklife.
"TO YOU FROM FAILING HANDS WE THROW THE TORCH, BE YOURS TO HOLD IT HIGH. MAN MUST STILL STRIVE, PRINCIPLES DO NOT APPLY THEMSELVES."

12th October - Heart Hotels.

13th October - Countdown to Christmas

“Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having at the moment.”   ~ Eckhart Tolle

Six or seven thoughts on a Saturday - Blogtoberfest Day 12

click to visit Day of the Girl Summit

 Today my six or seven thoughts are about this......

Since 2012, the United Nations marks 11 October as the ‘International Day of the Girl Child’. The day promotes girls' human rights, highlights gender inequalities that remain between girls and boys and addresses the various forms of discrimination and abuse suffered by girls around the world. 

One in three women and girls experience abuse in their lifetime. 

More than half of sexual assaults are committed against girls under 16 years of age.

Globally, more than one in three young women aged 20-24 years are married before the age of 18.

...which leads to this....

 

How I can take positive action to make everyday a Day of the Girl? 

  “Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace and power in it.” - Goethe (via Dani Shapiro)

Looking here and here and also here for inspiration.

Thinking also today about this....

click to find out where this photo comes from

 ....which leads on to this....

How can I start start taking action on what calls to me?....so that I do not turn away in fear and resignation. I am looking for ways to help here and here.

Thinking about how I can take action in my local community? Looking here 

and here for some ideas about taking the next steps.

Wondering how my creative urges can help me take action. I watched a film about the making of this sand art on Peace Day. Just being involved in something like that could be life changing.

"Therefore what we can offer the world is unique. If we don't offer it the world won't have it." - Dani Shapiro

Chewing on this today also......

"The soul-voice is about growth, exploration, risk, adventure. The soul-voice takes you out of your comfort zone to the places where mistakes are made, you often fall on your face, and life becomes challenging and messy. The soul-voice fills you up. It expands you. It enables you to take ownership of your life, even (or especially) when it drives you to do the things that scare the crap out of you.

When we pursue perfection, we have to shut this voice down, or carve it out entirely. This leaves a ragged void that we try to fill with our attempts at perfection, and when those efforts aren’t enough we insist that our loved ones meet the same impossible standards in order to fill that void for us." 

- Justine Musk 

 ...which started with my thoughts about this...

Ending today with thinking about this: 

Full circle

Friends on Friday (Blogtoberfest 2013) Day 11 and Link Love October Mission #2

Click to visit daisyyellowsquare

 Link Love prompt for October 11: link to five bloggers that always teach you something new.
 
1. First on my list is of course Tammy's blog at daisyyellowart - her blog is a treasure trove of fabulousness. It is packed full to bursting with ideas, prompts and tutorials. Art Journaling 101 is a series of blog posts that I've promised myself I will explore for quite a few months now, if not years in fact. Thanks to Link Love October Mission today I have been reminded of this promise to myself! My art/study room will be ready for me to move into by the end of next week so I will be able to jump into art journaling 101 for the next couple of months leading up to Christmas.

2.Morningaj is another blog where I always learn something new. Usually about history or language in this case. Anne also likes to write about her travels too which I always love. She also has several other blogs, this one showed me what tiny miracles that could be created on a square-inch of card! Truly unique.

3. Marianne Elliott   always teaches me more about being human and taking a full part in this life. Marianne is a human rights advocate, a writer and yoga teacher. She says this about her blog, "We’re all capable of great things when we find our own authentic and unique place in the world. We all have a role to play in bringing about a kinder, safer world.I created this site to help you discover what great things you are capable of, to uncover your unique role as a change-maker, and to make sure you have what you need to stay well do those things."

4. Snap that is Penny's blog, where I learn about how to set goals and reach them; about interesting books to add to my reading list; about Canada it's geography and social history; about Kenya and the missions  that are so close to Penny's heart; about good food recipes and craft projects; about Penny's family and how she plays her full and joyful part in life. About the beauty of the mountains and the sky.

5. What can I say about Kat and her blog  I saw you dancing? Do I always learn something new? Well I always come away thinking differently about situations, questioning my habitual ways of coping and dealing with life, understanding myself more deeply or wondering about the fabulousness of human beings. I love the way Kat plays with language as a tool to work out and soothe difficult feelings and in particular for me(and I am sure for others) I love the way that kat seems to write in her words, just what I am feeling or struggling to articulate. I love her blog for the way it will speak to women who are also Mums of young(and growing) children and who are also creative souls. I often find new books, music and art through Kat's blog.

Blogtoberfest 2013: Thankful Thursday

It's Day 10 of Blogtoberfest and Thursday's prompt is all about gratitudes.

I started today in the shower as usual, and for the second time this week I have looked down at my lovely legs (well they look that way without my contact lenses in anyway). They are looking particularly strong and healthy too me this week, following my second yoga class on Monday. It is so good to feel the strength in my body again.

So I am very thankful for my lovely long and strong 50 year old legs today.

June 2013

Thankful also for my health. I can never be grateful enough that I am healthy and strong. I know I am a very lucky person indeed to have good physical health. I take it all for granted sometimes!

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As I drove home from work today, I had to stop to look at the sky!

Thankful for late afternoon skies in October.

October 10th 2013

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Thankful for the people I work with in my day job, the clients who let me into their lives and place some level of trust in me. They range from 87 to 18 years old at the moment and are all my teachers.

May 2013

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 Thankful for family and friends, those who have just arrived with big smiles, challenges and hope for the future; and those who have been with me for a longer time and are more familiar.

June 2013

This year has really been a good one. I am thankful for it's ups and downs.

Thankful for Mr Greenfingers who rides the rollercoaster with me.

What about you? What are you thankful for today?

Wordless Wednesday - Blogtoberfest 2013 Day 9