Crocodile And A Pelican.

I saw this picture earlier and wanted to share because as soon as I saw it thought what a beautiful lesson in life this is. A Crocodile and a Pelican. Two animals and creatures so completely different to each other yet living together in harmony.

One could have the other for lunch and satisfy his own need and greed at any minute but instead is allowing him to ride on his back. That there is love, that there is how we should all endeavor to live our lives. To see others not as the enemy, different, or a means to gain for ourselves but as someone we can help sail through this life and journey together.

Death Will Teach You

You know it often takes another’s life to be taken from you for you to be grateful for your own. For me it was my mothers. I of course knew she wouldn’t live forever and would someday leave this planet but nothing can prepare you for that moment and how it will affect you. For me personally it’s been a blessing, because I choose it to be.

Her death was a wake up call to me, a reminder smacked straight into my face that none of us here will live forever and that no one’s future is guaranteed. From that day forward I began to live my life differently. I saw everything as so impermanent and everything I did see I knew would someday be gone. That’s when I chose to live everyday in gratitude for it all!

I’ve always known my mother was the greatest gift to me but never would I have guessed that in her death she’d leave me wit the greatest gift of all – an appreciation and love for life.

Life is short it really is, so enjoy it and be grateful. And remember in every moment you have a choice. To be thankful for what you have or complain and whinge about the little things that in your death, and the death of those closest to you, will not matter.

Love YOURSELF As You Love Others.

I heard and read again today “love others as you love yourself” and I couldn’t help but question it and think it should in fact be the other way around … “love yourself as you love others”.

I’m not sure about you but I know (in the past) I have always treated other people much nicer than I do myself. No way would I ever tell someone they are stupid, fat, ugly, hopeless, could do much better etc yet this is exactly what I told myself all the time.

Am I right? Think about it. Think about how you treat your friends and loved ones. Now think about how you treat yourself. Is it equal? Are you as supportive, kind and loving to yourself as you are to a stranger in the street or your best friend? You should be!

So that’s why I say “love YOURSELF as you do others” and not the other way around.

What Can I Do To Help?

I helped a lady today. I saw her get up from where she was sitting and struggle to walk. She was heading towards the supermarket where I was with my trolley and my youngest son. Seeing her made me stop. It made me realise how grateful I am to have my mobility and health.

Seeing her struggle to walk I wanted to help but didn’t know how. What can I do? I thought. I had no idea, so I asked her. I went up to her and said ‘Can I help you in any way?. Her whole face lit up. Ihad noticed, I had seen her. Someone cared. 

She asked me if I could get her a trolley and bring it to her which I did and she was ever so grateful. Couldn’t stop thanking me. I wanted to do more and would have done her whole shop for her if I could have.  So I all I could do was tell her how many of us take our mobility and health for granted and don’t realise how good we have it until we see another who isn’t quite as fortunate. And I thanked her. Telling her it was the least I could do (get her trolley).

I walked away thinking about how many others would have seen her yet did nothing. It thought about the me a few years ago who would have done the exact same thing. Nothing!

Why? I would have been too afraid to ask and offer help. Worried about what she would think or say and at the very bottom of it all, I would have thought she was capable on her own.

But what I have learnt is people want to be helped. People need to be helped and people appreciate being helped. We all need to pen our hearts a little more, to see the many that are struggling and to stop and ask ourselves ‘what can I do to help?’….

Love Is. Broken Beads.

In the above photo is a gift I was given today. I want to tell you more about this gift and why its so special. I receive many of these ‘gifts’ all as unique and all just as special…

As some of you may know I visit an elderly lady weekly. I met her through a Red Cross Volunteer scheme and what a blessing it has been. It fills me with so much joy and the friendships I have since made are nothing but treasures.

Today I visited Olga again and shortly before leaving she dug into her bag and pulled out an old vicks container full of beads, many broken, and many covered in food.  Before this moment she had asked me if I liked craft and if I did then she had a gift for me. I’m not overly keen on craft but said I did as I knew how much it filled her with joy to give me a gift. So I accepted the gift. 

She often gives me these ‘useless items’,  a watch with only half its face, a calendar from 1992 and once she tried to give me an old lamp but due to its size (and the fact I wasn’t quite sure where it came from … did she steal it?) I declined. The one and only time I declined.

I always accept her gifts. Always. I always accept them because I know it’s her way of saying thank you. I know that as she has hardly no money and never leaves her nursing home she has very little to gift. I know that each time she gifts me with one of her ‘treasures’ she is really gifting me with little pieces of her heart. And I know that every time I accept her gifts it’s my way of saying you’re welcome, and you have a special place in my heart too. 

Love comes in many forms. Broken beads with food stuck on them included.

The Mirror Doesn't Lie. You Do!

 

Compliment yourself. Seriously. Do it.

I figure why expect someone else to make you feel good, loved and appreciated when you can easily do it yourself!

I'm not embarrased to admit, I do this. There was a time when no way would I ever have mentioned to others (never mind publicly blog about it on the internet) that I tell myself I'm fantastic and loved. I would have thought this was a sure sign of crazy and being up yourself. Perhaps I am crazy, I could even be what you would consider conceited. I can't be the judge on that, but I don't mind, someone has to play the part of crazy and it may as well be me.

What about me being conceited? Well that is merely just a judgement and someones opinion isn't it?

I decided to look up the meaning of the word conceited and this is what I found:

 "Having an excessively favorable opinion of one's abilities, appearance, etc." 

"Excessively proud of oneself"

"Holding or characterized by an unduly high opinion of oneself"

Are they really all such a bad thing?

Being too proud of yourself and being favorable over your own abilities. Whats better, its opposite!? To doubt your own abilities and yourself. Yep that must be better Ha. Anyway that is an entirely different post.The reason I'm sharing this is because it will change your life!

Look in the mirror and don't criticize what you see. Love what you see.

 It will be hard at first and you'll have all sorts of voices telling you the opposite. I know I did. But the voices eventually stop telling you how terrible you are (and also how stupid you are for doing this exercise!) and when they do you will look in the mirror and see the truth of who you are.

You will see that you are not the judgements and criticisms you tell yourself and hear but standing there in front of that mirror is a person as perfect as can be. A person who was made exactly as he or she should be. Love that person. I do

When The Lasagna Hits The Fan...

Tonight as I was making dinner the above happened. Ok not so dramatic but you get the idea.

I managed to spill and splatter the contents of an entire pot of bolognese sauce all over my kitchen cupboards, walls, floors and myself. There was a time in my life where I would have been mad. Where I would have blamed everyone within close proximity, yelled, sworn and it would have ruined my day. I'd have been angry for hours. Now, nope, not a thing.

As it happened I smiled and thought 'Oh well, great excuse to clean those cupboards!'. I even surprised myself with this thought and how far I've come. I don't know who or what puts these thoughts into my head but I love them. I much prefer these thoughts than the thoughts I use to possess. The thoughts of fear, anger and blame!

Today I was again reminded that you CAN your thoughts. It takes practice, it requires discipline but its possible and so worth it.

Life is About Living.

Life is about living. You are alive to live. No other reason are you here than to live your life. Your probably thinking but I am living it! But are you?

Years ago I too thought I was living life but I was merely existing. Watching everyday go past, some days were good others bearable.

Now? Well every day is amazing. A big call, yes, and my days haven’t changed at all. But I have changed.

I still get unwell, tired and cranky, have bills to pay. My children rip each other apart on a regularly basis and I have days where I feel unloved and under-appreciated but what is different now is that I know how precious life is. I know each of these things are a blessing to experience, but on top of it all I know how lucky I am to be here. Alive in this life and to have all I have.

In any situation you are in no matter how terrible, how awful, painful or depressing I can guarantee that someone out there is doing it much worse. You are a lucky one. You have so much in your life to be grateful for and that is what I live for. That is what I love and that is how I have changed.

I no longer see life as against me but for me. I see everything in my life as a gift even the so called ‘crappy’ stuff as I have found it’s the ‘crappy’ stuff that has always helped land me into the good. To live is to appreciate it all - the good, the bad and to be grateful that you’re here in this life. Alive.  

Do You Judge Others...?

When someone walks into a room I don’t notice the clothes they are wearing, their nationality or race I see them. I see a person who is just like me, someone who wants to be loved and accepted.

We all judge, we’d be lying if we said we didn’t. However what I’m consciously trying to do  and have been for sometime is trying to no longer judge and its possible!

I very rarely notice a judgmental thought about another these days. Instead I only see beauty, the good in people and the positive. It wasn’t always like this. It was only when I started noticing judgmental thoughts or opinions of mine come up and deciding to no longer pay attention to them, that they slowly started to disappear. I cancel them out and replace with a new one. 

For example I remember a few months ago I was driving the boys to school when I noticed a young boy walking to school. In my head I heard ‘my god he is fat’. I was shocked, it was so mean and I immediately cancelled that one out and replaced it with  ‘but how great is it that he is walking to school, what great exercise and a healthy thing to do’.  

I’m grateful thoughts like the above are very few these days but it’s only because I no longer see others this way. I see them as people who are just like me each fighting their own battles and all wanting nothing but to be loved and accepted.

 I have found that since judging others less I also judge myself less. I am happier, others are happier around me and it’s an all over happy place. I remember thinking we can’t help but judge but lately I’ve learnt you can!

Love Is Seen Not Heard ..

I read the other day that when you think of love it isn’t words that come to mind but moments. This had me thinking about my own life and my own moments where I have seen love. I’d thought I’d share a couple that instantly came to mind ….

After being in labour for 24 hours with my first child (and not telling anyone I was in labour) I was being rushed out of my room for an emergency caesarean. As I was laying on the bed being rushed out as fast as the doctors could I saw my entire family sitting outside the waiting room, where they had been all day. It was midnight.

I remember the look on their faces, concern, love, anticipation and excitement a moment I will never forget. That is love and it was my brother’s face I remember most. That my brother was there and at that hour where he had been waiting for who knows how long despite that he would normally be in bed by 9 and up before dawn, he was there…

Love is every Christmas for as long as I can remember my mum always making the day about us kids and never ever about her even though it was her birthday.

Love is when my partner and I first started dating and all his friends told him that I wasn’t good for him and he was better off without me. Love is him following his heart and going against the friends he had known for many years compared to the few weeks he had known me.

Love is my father taking our beloved dog and family member Brian to the vet to be put to sleep and out of his misery because he was the only one strong enough to do so.

Love is when my eldest was given money for his birthday and him giving it to me telling me he wants me to give it to poor people.

Love is everywhere and is always seen and never heard. It is in the actions we make, not the statements we state ♥

Do You Have A Toothache ...?

I read something interesting today and it got me thinking ....

When we have a toothache we long to not have one anymore. To be free of the pain and throbbing and for it all to end so that peace and happiness can return.

How many of us have a toothache right now ..?

I was thinking about this very thing today and realised in every moment there is something I am to be grateful for. Right now its a perfectly functioning body (even if its not the perefect weight, size, shape or height) its mine and it works!

I'm grateful today that I don't have a toothache and that I'm free of pain.