Words of Kindness and Joy

 This morning as I begin to write this post my mind is a jumble of thoughts from things that I have read, to friends I have had conversations with, the need for a haircut today, and my sweet Joey seems to have an infection and I must get him to the vets. I did say a "jumble" and that is what it is. Do you have days like that? Is it as exhausting as it feels this morning to me? What I want to focus on is Joy and Kindness, but I am weary. So let me tell you about a small article I read this weekend in Victoria Magazine. Let me refocus.

Victoria Magazine has brought joy to my heart from the very first issue many years ago. When it would come in the mail I would say "I am taking an hour vacation" and would sit with my cup of tea and the magazine for an hour escape. So reading the article yesterday was my hour escape and I am still trying to focus on it.

I absolutely love France and this recent issue is on France. I never could quite put my finger on why I loved it so much until I read the article. It talked about how most French people live as if life is an art form. The writer said she was an exchange student and the host asked her to prepare the strawberries for a tart and put them in the tart shell. She unceremoniously dumped them in the tart shell and her host said no that is not the way we do it. She took the strawberries out of the shell and put them back in a circular design. The tart became a piece of art. It went on to say that most French live life, even the most simple things, as if it is a form of art.

 

Art brings me JOY, it settles my soul. It is a KINDNESS in the artist that was willing to share their heart with me and others. When I walk down a street in Paris my soul settles for I am surrounded by beauty and art is all around.

What settles your soul and brings you JOY?

Sending love, Marilyn

Words of Kindness and Joy

 Recently I came across the song Try a Little Kindness. On YouTube I found it by several singers, here is a link to one of them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX7NNMKBPsw&ab_channel=drlandy

Enjoy this one of Glen Campbell in concert.

Then last week I bought the book, The Boy, the mole, the fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. Have you seen this book. It has the sweetest message. It will be my Valentine gift for my grandson. Here is a copy of a page from the book. I love the artwork and the words.

 Each day I pray that the world will become a little kinder.

Kindness is definitely what I want to be when I grow up. 

How about you?

Sending love,

Marilyn

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Do you have many bridges in your part of the world?

Since I live near the Columbia River we drive over the bridge often. In fact, my church is in Washington State and we must cross the river to get there. I don't mind. I am a water girl at heart; so I love seeing the water. I love the views from the bridge. We can see the surrounding mountains and trees, even a couple islands in the middle of the river.

The first three pictures were taken on a stormy day driving north to visit my sister-in-law. We must cross at least 5 bridges to get there. In winter we can see the snow on the mountains surrounding the water. It is beautiful with each season.

I have a friend that won't come to visit me because she is afraid to drive over the water, to cross the bridge.

Fear cheats her of having a cup of tea with me here. Does fear sometimes cheat you or me to step out and do scary things? This isn't where I thought I would be going with this post, but now I am thinking "what do I cheat myself of because of fear?" How can we uphold those around us when they need a friend to hold their hand and walk with them? How can I overcome fear and cross that bridge?

A bridge allows us to move forward in places we could never have imagined. Where fear keeps us isolated and unable to grow.

How do we take the next step?

Bridge over Troubled Water

Simon & Garfunkel

When you're weary
Feeling small
When tears are in your eyes
I'll dry them all
I'm on your side
Oh, when times get rough
And friends just can't be found

Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

When you're down and out
When you're on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you
I'll take your part
Oh, when darkness comes
And pain is all around

Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

Sail on silver girl
Sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way
See how they shine
Oh, if you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind

Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind

 

Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco

 

Crossing the bridge to get to the other side.

What does it bring on the other side?

 

Growth 

Joy

New Adventures

Progress, moving forward

 

Today I had to chat with my doctor on a zoom call because the snow prohibited me from traveling to my appointment. My doctor wanted me to take care of some things I didn't want to do. I had hoops to jump to do them, phone calls to make. I just said "Ugh" I don't want to do this, but I moved forward, baby steps, but growing, good for me steps. Some days just are like that, we don't want to do the hard things or cross that bridge to do the scary things. So progress was made and I grew. Now onto the next thing and to eventually face the JOY and the growth. 

It is sort of crazy isn't it? Some days life and hard things get in the way.

We can overcome the fear and grow.

Not meant to be a downer, just a reminder if we push through the hard things we can smile and pat ourselves on the back.

 

Here's to moving forward and facing our fears.

Happy weekend, dear friends! 

A Gift for You - A Flower and A Poem

 I am not sure the following words would be considered a poem or not. I shared them with my tea group yesterday and they said it was a poem. The words are not mine, though I wrote them down from a time of meditation with tea people on zoom not too long ago. I hope you enjoy the words and thoughts that come from those words.

 

In touching the earth:

We practice tenderness

We find confidence and compassion

We are one with all

We are someone with enough peace and joy to share with others and live in a meaningful way

 

We pour the water, it comes to us and sustains us

We are fortunate to fill our cups as we pour and serve

When we drink the tea we can visualize the entire universe

We sip life and nourishment.

We are with the tea

 

We claim aspiration and acknowledge it.

May the poor find wealth

And the forlorn find hope.

 

Walk slowly when leaving with gratitude and love for what this day has been.

 

A glimpse of me, touching the earth and sipping tea outdoors.

Sending love and thankfulness for you.

A Gift for You - A Flower and A Poem

“You do not just wake up and become the butterfly" 

-Growth is a process.”

― Rupi Kaur, The Sun and Her Flowers

 

Do you dream of being a butterfly?

Spread your wings and fly.

Do impossible things.

Dance!

Sing! 

 

Hoping you had an amazing Easter, dear friends!

A Word for the Week

 Journey

"In order to complete our amazing life journey successfully, it is vital that we turn each and every dark tear into a pearl of wisdom, and find the blessing in every curse." Anthon St. Maarten

 

Above picture was a journey I once took through a cave in France.

Though I am showing you journey pictures I have taken, it isn't about where you

have gone, but how you have traveled through life.

 

"Not everyone will understand your journey. That's okay. You're here to live your life, not to make everyone understand." Banksy

What a thrill I never expected to have in my life. A visit to the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand.

These sweet ladies both touched my heart when I met them. There gentle spirits sang to me of love.

I think the thing that has made my journey so special is gentle women that have crossed my path.

My journey has been and is more bright because of women that sing to my soul.

We don't need to get on an airplane or travel far when we are open to special ones that touch us.

It is a journey we walk on each and every day.

We must be open to where the road leads us.

And be willing to go for it - jump into life!

The experience of the jump, the journey, is amazing.

Can you see the line I flew on and the platform down below where I landed.

I was flying with the birds and with each jump I was terrified.

But in the end the journey was worth it. I learned so much about myself. I was proud of myself for jumping and for the flight. It was a journey of a lifetime.

Where has your journey taken you?

What journey are you taking today, this week, and next year?

Be brave, dear ones!

 

A Word for the Week

 “There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life.” ~Lin Yutang, The Importance of Living

This past week I have thought a lot about not hiding my light and being authentic to who I am.

Contemplation, listening, and accepting myself has been on my plate and in my mind. I listened to two young women on a live chat talking about being authentic. It made me happy to see young women thinking on these things, it gave me hope for the future.

They talked about having respect for themselves and others. Paying attention to where they fit in and not adjust who they were just to fit there. They talked about sharing our passions, joys, and stories; then realize that each of us is "enough".  We don't need to perform, but honor the "stillness" in ourselves. And above all share your authentic self with honesty and kindness. Accept our differences and believe in who we are.

Choosing yourself first, treating yourself with this honesty and kindness we can then give honesty and kindness to others.

You see in each picture there is tea.

For me tea is about ritual with the picking what tea to drink each day, making the tea, holding in my hands to contemplate, savor, notice, and hold the silence in that very moment. It is a healthy addiction, one that frames my day. It leads me in honesty and kindness to myself and then to share with others.

Thanks to the ladies on grasspeopletree.com for having thoughtful conversations that inspire me, teach me, and confirm my life passages. I am thrilled for the next generations of women, thrilled for my daughter, thrilled for the women that will come in my grandsons life of the future, and thrilled to have a women vice president helping to lead our country and live by example to other young women.

From my Heart

 

Dear BIPOC and White Friends too,

I want to apologize to the BIPOC community for not speaking up, for remaining silent when my introvert person hides away. I have told myself during this time of pandemic it is safer for me, an older woman, to stay safely at home and thus not show up and stand beside you in protest of your treatment. My heart has been with you, but I have hidden away. I want you to know I love you, stand with you, and my words here must do my speaking.

In school I was taught white history; so I don’t know your history and haven’t asked.

In my wider family in the past I have heard racial comments and not spoken up and stood with you.

When I have stood beside you in the post office line I have thought I would like to know you, but not said a word to you.

When I shop I didn’t realize that for you the stores I am shopping in are designed for white people and that you might be uncomfortable being there, but going there because places you would feel comfortable are disappearing.

Most often I read books by white women, because that is where I feel most comfortable. I haven’t explored books available by BIPOC people.

I am remiss in so many little and big ways, please forgive me.

My dear white friends, do you even know what BIPOC stands for? I didn’t until this week, but then I didn’t bother to know. BIPOC is Black Indigenous People of Color. That means people with skin color darker than your own whiteness.

In traveling in other parts of the world I learned all people are the same, but I didn’t tell you I learned that. All people have a heart, they bleed like you and they cry like you. Their laughter delights me and their suffering saddens my heart.

We are one human race. We must learn to live together in harmony, love, and peace. With internet we have become one world and in that it is more than ever important to show kindness to each other.  Let us stop isolating and condemning each other. Let’s be open to embrace one another and listen, carry on that conversation, and learn from each other. Our lives would be much richer for doing so. What we believe to be true may only be your truth as you know it at the time, but in listening and learning you and I can continue to grow, learn, and become a better you and me.

All pictures are mine in travels to other parts of the world.

The first is a family on the beach in Thailand.

The second was artwork in France.

The third was a musician playing in the park in Barcelona.

And the fourth, which totally delights me, is dancing in the street

in Carcassone, France.

Please think on these words, which were inspired by my reading of Me and White Supremacy.

I am continuing to read and learn. More thoughts may come in the future.

Happy weekend, dear friends!

Touched my Heart

This week I took the week off just to not push myself,

do some meditation, and step back a bit from life.

Several words touched my heart as I meditated on life right now.

“A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart 

and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.”

"When worrying about what could go wrong, focus on what if it goes right."

I took a walk alone just to spend time with myself.
Leach Botanical Gardens was open and very few were there.
It was a beautiful warm day and I walked among the trees.

Happy weekend, dear friends!
Enjoy some silence and meditation today.

Word for the Year

 Celebrating the light in me this past March with a dear friend.

This year my word(s) were Trust the Adventure

Some years the adventure is a difficult one

and this just felt like that.

I wasn't sure I saw the results of it

until in one day this fall two different people

commented that I looked like I was on an adventure.

Sometimes life adventures don't reveal themselves

except in small ways and then only if we really

open ourselves to notice.

When I received those comments I saw it,

I saw the life adventure I was on and wrapped myself

in it's JOY.

Next year my word is LIGHT, which I am very excited about.

There were many words that came along, but they just didn't feel right.

Then as I reflected on Winter Solstice I thought of the light.

I thought about paying attention to the light in my photography.

I thought about the light within me.

I started noticing the word light in things I read.

The last line of the last book I read in 2019:

"the light shimmered, settled, held."

~author, Nora Roberts 

May the light shimmer for each of us in the new year.

May each of us be blessed beyond measure. 

May each bump in the road bring us more fully into the light.

For we must let our light shine in a dark world.

Delight in the day and SHINE.

The light will guide us.

The light will teach us.

And the light will shine upon us.

Notice as the light surrounds you.

Embrace it.

Yes, light will shine for each of us in 2020!

I just know it!

I also read just today to focus ahead and you won't
notice the shadows.
I see the light in this picture and will focus there.
Looking forward to sharing the adventure with you in 2020.

Christmas Memory

I can imagine you all have Christmas memories.

Were they joyful memories filled with sugarplums and family?

When I was in junior high my little family of my mom, sister, and I

were given to a family through the welfare system to bring us gifts.

The day arrived and my mom made sure our little house was neat, tidy

and that we were neat and tidy too. This was important to my mom.

I had bargained with the tree lot guy to buy a tree with my babysitting money

and carried it home. It was a huge pine tree that he said no one wanted.

We made paper chains and decorated it with our meager ornaments.

Our home looked quite festive.

We waited.

The family arrived.

I think the parents were trying to teach their children about poor people.

The children remarked that our house looked better than theirs.

The parents were a bit miffed that we didn't look poor.

 They said as much.

They didn't notice that we had a chair propping up the refrigerator

door, so it wouldn't fall to the floor.

They didn't notice that my mother had her bed in the dining room,

because she made it look like a place to sit with pillows during the day.

They didn't notice the moldy cheese we got from surplus government surplus.

They didn't notice that though our clothes were clean and ironed

they were hand me downs.

They didn't notice that sometimes our church had to help us out

with a food basket or pay our power bill.

Maybe they noticed there was no father in the house, but

they didn't know he didn't send us support.

Needless to say, it taught me some lessons.

Never take what you see as fact, you don't know the story.

Don't look down and criticize those that have less than you.

Show love to each and every person around you.

And when giving give with an open heart,

give a little extra.

After all people that are poor still like a bar of chocolate

or a pretty bouquet.

The pictures are my only childhood Christmas pictures.
They just didn't take many pictures then.
They are from an earlier Christmas with it's own memories.
I am the one with the bow in my hair, the oldest girl grandchild.
My sister is the other one with a bow in her hair.
Yes, my mother always tried her best to keep us looking good.
The others are special cousins.

Give with a happy, loving heart.
Give the gift of JOY. 
Happy weekend, dear friends!