Friday, August 08, 2014

Thought for the day.



                                                                                                             Jo xx

Monday, April 28, 2014

Ordinary is extraordinary.


Make The Ordinary Come Alive. 

Do not ask your children
to strive for extraordinary lives.
Such striving may seem admirable.
but it is a way of foolishness.
Help them instead to find the wonder
and the marvel of an ordinary life.
Show them the joy of tasting
tomatoes, apples and pears.
Show them how to cry
when pets and people die.
Show them the infinite pleasure
in the touch of a hand.
And make the ordinary come alive for them.
The extraordinary will take care of itself.

                                                     ~ William Martin. 







                                                                                

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Thought for the day.


                                                                                                       Jo xx

Friday, April 04, 2014

Tuesday, April 01, 2014

Anyway.

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centred. 
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful,you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway. 

If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway. 

 ~ This version is credited to Mother Teresa of Calcutta. 
Some say these words were written on the wall in 
Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta. 

I have loved this poem for many years. Such a challenge yet so simple. Such inspiring words to live by. 

                                                                                           Jo xx

Friday, March 28, 2014

Thought for the day


Have a wonderful weekend friends.

                                                                                     Jo xx

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Poetry on a Tuesday



Mindful

Everyday

I see or hear

something

that more or less


kills me

with delight,

that leaves me

like a needle



in the haystack

of light.

It was what I was born for — 

to look, to listen,



to lose myself

inside this soft world — 

to instruct myself

over and over



in joy,

and acclamation.

Nor am I talking

about the exceptional,



the fearful, the dreadful,

the very extravagant — 

but of the ordinary,

the common, the very drab,



the daily presentations.

Oh, good scholar,

I say to myself,

how can you help



but grow wise

with such teachings

as these — 

the untrimmable light



of the world,

the ocean's shine,

the prayers that are made

out of grass?


By Mary Oliver.

Friday, March 21, 2014

Thought for the day





I hope this weekend you have some space and time to taste the beauty and miracle of our wonderful world.                        
                                                                                              Jo xx

Friday, March 14, 2014

Thought for the day.



                                                   
                                                                                              Jo xx

Monday, March 10, 2014

A poem.




She Let Go

She let go

She let go. Without a thought or a word, she let go.

She let go of the fear.

She let go of the judgements.

She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around her head.

She let go of the committee of indecision within her.

She let go of all the 'right' reasons.

Wholly and completely, without hesitation or worry, she just let go.

She didn't ask anyone for advice.

She didn't read a book on how to let go.

She didn't search the scriptures.

She just let go.

She let go of all the memories that held her back.

She let go of all the anxiety that kept her from moving forward.

She let go of the planning and all of the calculations about how to do it just right. 

She didn't promise to let go.

She didn't journal about it.

She didn't write the projected date in her day -timer.

She made no public announcement and put no ad in the paper.

She didn't check the weather report or read her daily horoscope.

She just let go.

She didn't analyse whether she should let go.

She didn't call her friends to discuss the matter.

She didn't do a five-step Spiritual Mind Treatment.

She didn't call the prayer line.

She didn't utter one word.

She just let go.

No one was around when it happened.

There was no applause or congratulations. 

No one thanked her or praised her.

No one noticed a thing.

Like a leaf falling from a tree, she just let go.

There was no effort.

There was no struggle.

It wasn't good and it wasn't bad.

It was what it was, and it is just that.

In the space of letting go, she let it all be.

A small smile came over her face.

A light breeze blew through her. And the sun and the moon shone forevermore...............

~ Rev Safire Rose  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I can't help but read this poem over and over. The beauty takes my breathe away.
Does this poem speak to you?
What is it saying to you??

Feel free to share your thoughts here in the comments or privately via email. 

                                                                                                      Jo xx

Friday, March 07, 2014

Thought for the day.




May you have a completely beautiful weekend. 

                                                                                            Jo xx

Friday, February 14, 2014

Thought for the day.




                                                                                                         Jo xx 

Friday, February 07, 2014

Thought for the day



                                                                                                                            Jo xx

Friday, January 31, 2014

Thought for the day



                                                                                                             Jo xx

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Grateful



 I am so grateful that my eyes are open to the beauty that is always present.  
So grateful. 

                                                                                                                Jo xx

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Connection with nature.



I love nature. I always have. Some of my earliest memories involve nature. Trips to the ocean. Visits to the Blue Mountains. Rock hopping on weekends away. As a child I probably loved nature because it was outdoors and free. As an adult I love nature because it is often a place of quiet, peaceful beauty that allows me to hear and seek truth. 
Over the past few years my personal journey has opened my eyes to so much more. I use to see the beauty in a much broader sense. Landscapes, seascapes, mountains, etc. Nowadays I see so much more. I see the intricate details on leaves, the texture of rocks, the pattens in flowers. I see the big things, the little things, the colours, the shapes, the patterns, the textures.  It is all beautiful. And I love it so much more. 




Photo by Timothy. 




I am connected to nature and inspired by nature. And I yearn to learn more from nature. 

Are you connected to nature? 
If so what do you see? What inspires you? How does it all make you feel? 

I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

                                                                                            Jo xx

Friday, January 10, 2014

Small steps




I hope you have a wonderful weekend wherever you are. 

                                                                                               Jo xx

Wednesday, January 08, 2014

The afternoon that brought tears of joy.


It was a beautiful afternoon at the beach. 







We walked, explored, dipped and smiled. 
We looked up and down. We giggled, laughed and skipped as we moved along the rocks and sand. 

At some point I decided to write my one little word for 2014 in the sand. Sarah then wanted to write her word too. Her word??  I didn't even know she had a word.  But she did. In fact she has two. 
Courage and faith.
Timothy heard us talking and saw us writing and decided he too wanted a word or two.  He choose embrace and justice. We had fun writing our words in the sand and decided to add a few more. 
We discussed our words and what they meant to us. It was beautiful.



The kids wanted to take some photos too. I am so glad I said yes. 
They certainly know how to see beauty. The way they see and notice the world around them is inspiring. I sat and watched them roaming the beach with a camera and an open, in the moment, heart. 

Photo by Sarah
Photo by Sarah
Photo by Timothy
Photo by Timothy



We spent almost 2 hours down at the beach. It was special for so many reasons and in so many ways. 
I will treasure this afternoon in my heart. It brought a joy that I haven't experienced in recent days and this was comforting for the soul. It brought inspiration and encouragement and of course it brought the three of us together and connected us in a way that nature does so wonderfully well. 




                                                                                            Jo xx