What A Fall Taught Me

My two year old had a really bad fall at McDonalds today.

You see the set of 9 yellow cubes in the picture? My two year old was playing up next to those when somehow he completely fell threw them all straight on his back. I screamed. I was not calm.

I am grateful he is ok. He is small. Well below average for his age, but never would I have thought he could fit through and fall through a gap of that size. I am so grateful today that 1. He is ok. 2. The lovely staff did all they could to help by offering him a toy and drink and 3. For the lesson it taught me.

After a cuddle and some love he got back up there and started playing again. The fall was in the past, he was over it and he was back to enjoying life. I however was still shaking, still replaying the scene over in my head.

Why do we do this?

We torture ourselves. Be reliving past events. Children they don’t. They move on and get back to enjoying life. The life that is right now, right here,not the life 5 minutes earlier when you lay in pain on your back. What a lesson today and what a beautiful teacher my little toddler is on life.

There is a Japanese proverb I love it goes … “Fall down seven times. Stand up eight”.

Today my son lived it.

Life Is For Living (and lying on Grass!)

You know what I did today…?   

Went outside and laid in the sun on some grass. Yep. I really do have the life.

Some days (like today) I beat myself up about it too,  telling myself I should be doing something more constructive and not out here lying in the sun. But you know what…? Isn’t this what life is all about - enjoying it!

Shouldn’t we all live each day doing what we love and enjoying all we’ve been given? Which for me today that was green healthy grass and a warm sunny day.

The morning I spent cleaning bathrooms and making chocolate biscuits with my 2 year old, so why not spend the afternoon laying in this beautiful Autumn sun? Why feel guilty about it? 

This crazy guilt and hard time I give myself must stop!

Yes chores and work need to be done but what about the rest of the time? Why do we then cram these bits in with more ‘jobs’? Life is all about balance. Yes we must work, clean, and do things that need doing but it’s also just as important to do nothing!

Perhaps all this rambling is to make myself feel better about laying out in the sun for an hour today with my toddler and the dog next door. But you know what? Its worked, I feel better about it.

Today was a good day, a constructive day. My vitamin D levels are soaring and I made one 4 legged girl and 2 year old boy happy and should that be all that matters?

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.

Richard

 I know a man with no legs. His name is Richard and having no legs, naturally, he is in a wheelchair, but that isn’t the point or relevant to this story.

I’ve come to know Richard quite well and have known him for about a year. Every week I visit a local nursing home and sit with and chat to the many residents there, including Richard.

Richard loves iced coffees, smoking and puzzles. Boy does he LOVE puzzles! He is actually quite incredible with them. He can complete a 1000 piece puzzle in under 2 weeks. I’m not sure if that’s impressive but to me it is. Then again he does have a lot of time on his hands being in a nursing home.

As often as I can I’ll bring Richard in an iced coffee but what I love most is buying him puzzles! I don’t do it often, 3-4 times a year. Every time there is a bookfair on here I pick up a few 2nd hand puzzles for a few dollars. Last week I did just that and today I was able to gift the puzzles to Richard.

Now, this is the thing. I never actually give them to him, instead I go to his table set out only for him and his puzzles and place the new puzzles on the table and walk away. He has no idea it’s me and I like it that way.

A few weeks later I’ll see him working on the new puzzle and telling me how he found a new one and how happy it made him.

Do you know how happy this makes me?

To know that I made him happy. That something I did, something so small can bring another person such happiness makes me just about weep. There is nothing I could ever buy that would give me the joy that giving joy to another person and making them happy does.

It’s such a simple thing but I love it, and it always has me thinking of all the little things we can do to make anothers day.

know a man with no legs. His name is Richard and having no legs, naturally, he is in a wheelchair, but that isn’t the point or relevant to this story.

I’ve come to know Richard quite well and have known him for about a year. Every week I visit a local nursing home and sit with and chat to the many residents there, including Richard.

Richard loves iced coffees, smoking and puzzles. Boy does he LOVE puzzles! He is actually quite incredible with them. He can complete a 1000 piece puzzle in under 2 weeks. I’m not sure if that’s impressive but to me it is. Then again he does have a lot of time on his hands being in a nursing home.

As often as I can I’ll bring Richard in an iced coffee but what I love most is buying him puzzles! I don’t do it often, 3-4 times a year. Every time there is a bookfair on here I pick up a few 2nd hand puzzles for a few dollars. Last week I did just that and today I was able to gift the puzzles to Richard.

Now, this is the thing. I never actually give them to him, instead I go to his table set out only for him and his puzzles and place the new puzzles on the table and walk away. He has no idea it’s me and I like it that way.

A few weeks later I’ll see him working on the new puzzle and telling me how he found a new one and how happy it made him. Do you know how happy this makes me? To know that I made him happy. That something I did, something so small can bring another person such happiness makes me just about weep. There is nothing I could ever buy that would give me the joy that giving joy to another person and making them happy does.

It’s such a simple thing but I love it, and it always has me thinking of all the little things we can do to make anothers day - See more at: http://www.kindspring.org/my/story.php?sid=53292#sthash.Wmn2BMmT.dpuf

know a man with no legs. His name is Richard and having no legs, naturally, he is in a wheelchair, but that isn’t the point or relevant to this story.

I’ve come to know Richard quite well and have known him for about a year. Every week I visit a local nursing home and sit with and chat to the many residents there, including Richard.

Richard loves iced coffees, smoking and puzzles. Boy does he LOVE puzzles! He is actually quite incredible with them. He can complete a 1000 piece puzzle in under 2 weeks. I’m not sure if that’s impressive but to me it is. Then again he does have a lot of time on his hands being in a nursing home.

As often as I can I’ll bring Richard in an iced coffee but what I love most is buying him puzzles! I don’t do it often, 3-4 times a year. Every time there is a bookfair on here I pick up a few 2nd hand puzzles for a few dollars. Last week I did just that and today I was able to gift the puzzles to Richard.

Now, this is the thing. I never actually give them to him, instead I go to his table set out only for him and his puzzles and place the new puzzles on the table and walk away. He has no idea it’s me and I like it that way.

A few weeks later I’ll see him working on the new puzzle and telling me how he found a new one and how happy it made him. Do you know how happy this makes me? To know that I made him happy. That something I did, something so small can bring another person such happiness makes me just about weep. There is nothing I could ever buy that would give me the joy that giving joy to another person and making them happy does.

It’s such a simple thing but I love it, and it always has me thinking of all the little things we can do to make anothers day - See more at: http://www.kindspring.org/my/story.php?sid=53292#sthash.Wmn2BMmT.dpuf

I know a man with no legs. His name is Richard and having no legs, naturally, he is in a wheelchair, but that isn’t the point or relevant to this story.

I’ve come to know Richard quite well and have known him for about a year. Every week I visit a local nursing home and sit with and chat to the many residents there, including Richard.

Richard loves iced coffees, smoking and puzzles. Boy does he LOVE puzzles! He is actually quite incredible with them. He can complete a 1000 piece puzzle in under 2 weeks. I’m not sure if that’s impressive but to me it is. Then again he does have a lot of time on his hands being in a nursing home.

As often as I can I’ll bring Richard in an iced coffee but what I love most is buying him puzzles! I don’t do it often, 3-4 times a year. Every time there is a bookfair on here I pick up a few 2nd hand puzzles for a few dollars. Last week I did just that and today I was able to gift the puzzles to Richard.

Now, this is the thing. I never actually give them to him, instead I go to his table set out only for him and his puzzles and place the new puzzles on the table and walk away. He has no idea it’s me and I like it that way.

A few weeks later I’ll see him working on the new puzzle and telling me how he found a new one and how happy it made him. Do you know how happy this makes me? To know that I made him happy. That something I did, something so small can bring another person such happiness makes me just about weep. There is nothing I could ever buy that would give me the joy that giving joy to another person and making them happy does.

It’s such a simple thing but I love it, and it always has me thinking of all the little things we can do to make anothers day - See more at: http://www.kindspring.org/my/story.php?sid=53292#sthash.NiO1WnG9.dpuf

I know a man with no legs. His name is Richard and having no legs, naturally, he is in a wheelchair, but that isn’t the point or relevant to this story.

I’ve come to know Richard quite well and have known him for about a year. Every week I visit a local nursing home and sit with and chat to the many residents there, including Richard.

Richard loves iced coffees, smoking and puzzles. Boy does he LOVE puzzles! He is actually quite incredible with them. He can complete a 1000 piece puzzle in under 2 weeks. I’m not sure if that’s impressive but to me it is. Then again he does have a lot of time on his hands being in a nursing home.

As often as I can I’ll bring Richard in an iced coffee but what I love most is buying him puzzles! I don’t do it often, 3-4 times a year. Every time there is a bookfair on here I pick up a few 2nd hand puzzles for a few dollars. Last week I did just that and today I was able to gift the puzzles to Richard.

Now, this is the thing. I never actually give them to him, instead I go to his table set out only for him and his puzzles and place the new puzzles on the table and walk away. He has no idea it’s me and I like it that way.

A few weeks later I’ll see him working on the new puzzle and telling me how he found a new one and how happy it made him. Do you know how happy this makes me? To know that I made him happy. That something I did, something so small can bring another person such happiness makes me just about weep. There is nothing I could ever buy that would give me the joy that giving joy to another person and making them happy does.

It’s such a simple thing but I love it, and it always has me thinking of all the little things we can do to make anothers day - See more at: http://www.kindspring.org/my/story.php?sid=53292#sthash.NiO1WnG9.dpuf

Love In A Clothes Dryer

You know what I love ...? How every time I use my clothes dryer I am reminded of my mother and her love for me.

We never use clothes dyers and instead always hang our washing on the line. Living where I live it hardly rains and is often warm so it has always worked for us. We therefore viewed it (or more so I agreed to view it) as an expense we didn't need.

It has rained all this week and today I had no choice but to use our clothes dryer and when doing so I felt so grateful (like I have said this gratitude thing hits me anytime, any place). I felt grateful to own a dryer when I remembered why I owned one. My mum bought it.

My other half never would never ever have agreed to spending money on a dryer so my beautiful mum, god bless her, bought me one when my second son was born. She told me it was my baby gift and even apologised at the time for giving me such a crappy gift (which it so clearly wasn't!!)

Mum told me that now we had become a family of 4 I'd be needing it with the amount of washing I'd soon be doing. It sat in the garage for most the time she was alive, too big to fit in our small laundry and was hardly used.

Today however and in the past few years (mainly since she has left) it is used more frequently and every time it is I am reminded of her.

Its funny the things that become dear to you when a loved one passes. Sometimes its something as boring as a clothes dryer.

It has shown me though that we never do know how a gift we give to another will touch someone some day. I never would have thought all those years ago that a clothes dryer would hold as much sentimental value as this one does to me.

Free Coffee. On Me.

Someone was treated to a free coffee today. I don't know who they were or what they ordered, all I know is that it was on me.

I wanted to do something nice for someone and randomly whilst at the shops today went to buy myself a chai latte. I've heard about the people buying coffees for others before, a pay it forward type movement, but have never done it myself. Today I did.

I bought my chai latte and whilst it was being made tried to build up my nerve to do it. The cafe was empty at the time which helped me as I knew I could gift the coffee anonymously.

I looked at the menu and noticed regular/medium sized coffees were $4 and checked my purse and I had $4. So as the young guy called my name and handed me my chai latte I handed him the $4 and told him I wanted to buy the next persons coffee. He looked shocked and said "Are you sure?" I told him I was and handed him the $4 explaining that I noticed medium coffees were $4 and most people would probably order that size and asked him to gift the next person who did with the free coffee. My only condition was that he tell them a stranger had paid for their coffee today as an act of kindness to make their day.

Well you should have seen this young guys face! It completely lit up and his smile was so genuinely happy and I bet couldn't wait to do it. That there was worth it for me. He told me I was so kind and I told him I like to do this sort of thing occasionally to show others there is kindness in this world.

It was only small act I know but can you imagine how much it would have made that next persons day? I also hope the young guy today shares what happened and maybe even some day feels inspired to do the same.

Try it some time. You won't be disappointed!

You Deserve It!

 Earlier today I was in a store purchasing a birthday gift for a friend and had a choice of two items. One was cheaper and overall packaged nicer to give as a gift, the other more expensive and in my opinion better.

I stood there for a moment and decided whether or not go with the more pricey item and splurge, or the cheaper one and save. I picked up the cheaper one and went to walk away when I stopped, put it back and grabbed the expensive one.

My reasoning ... she deserves it and deserves to be spoilt. I thought about this more later that day and realised that we all deserve to be spoilt, each and every one of us and that includes me. But how many of us actually do? I also wandered if I were buying the item for myself which I would choose?

So splurge and spoil. It’s a service to you. Its loving to you and you my dear deserve it.