04 Saturday Aug 2018
Posted in Poetry, Uncategorized
A few photos of a box of Poetea I made for a dear friend’s birthday!
Basically, I wrapped an empty tea box, made little paper pockets from sewn together bits of the same wrapping paper…
…and folded up a poem of mine to pack into each one like a teabag. 20 poems in all. It was a lot of fun 🙂
15 Thursday Dec 2016
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
advent, advent calendar, christmas, gifts, gratitude, spirituality, work
Welcome to GLADvent day Fifteen! Yesterday we had the word Gifts.
My friends are a gift, like when they (this morning) responded to my request for a pair of smart black shoes to borrow for our choir performance (this Sunday) because mine had ended up in the wrong car and are now three hours drive away:-) I had two emailed offers within 2o minutes!
My family are a gift, like when Mum and I spent an hour or so wrapping and decorating gifts together to send to my sister and her family in Germany; like my father and our chats and the car he’s entrusted into my care ( and even allowed me to name 😉 ) while he’s back in Bali; like my aunts being so happy to have found me on Facebook etc etc etc
I’m surrounded by gifts given to me by others (books, clothes, paintings, jewelry etc etc), I’m filled with gifts graced to me by life (creativity, kindness, curiosity, intellect…) I’m drawn to gifts (the talents of others; like our choir leader Helen Yeomans, like the poet Kate tempest who was interviewed in the Guardian yesterday etc etc) and love to give gifts because a true gift gifts the giver as much as the receiver.
In case you’re interested, here’s an old post I wrote on this topic.
https://wordsthatserve.wordpress.com/2012/08/17/gifting-and-receiving/
And now, let’s find the fifteenth…
…and take a sneaky peek at what’s on the back…
WORK: “The best way not to feel hopeless is to get up and do something.”
– Barack Obama
Now take a moment to pause and reflect upon how Work has shown up in your life recently. Do you enjoy the work for which you are paid? What is your sense of ‘the work’ you’re here on this planet to do? What do you perceive to be our collective ‘work’ as a human family right now?
Fifteen stockings turned! 
Hope to see you tomorrow for number 16.
Do continue to share your thoughts and reflections in the comments section below as you wish…
14 Wednesday Dec 2016
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
advent, advent calendar, creativity, gifts, GLADvent, gratitude, imagination, mac barnett, spirituality, TED
Welcome to GLADvent day Fourteen! Yesterday we had Imagination.
There is so, so, sooooooo much I could say on this! Imagination is my life blood, it’s my most precious possession, a gift I am deeply grateful for, and it’s as wild and alive now as it ever was…because I recognize and respect its value.
Briefly, most recently, I offered the following Imagination prompt at the last writing workshop I held. Each participant was given a piece of paper, and asked to write a name at the top of it. This would be the name of a character we were going to create together. Then they passed it to the left. The next person was asked to write an age, the next an occupation, the next positive qualities, the next a secret…you could use as many of these aspects of character as you wish. We then read the lists aloud – to MUCH laughter – and hey presto we had imagined up five juicy characters! Then we each began a story where that character was central, and wrote for ten minutes. The results were utterly astounding. I’ll see if I can dig mine out and share it another day.
And while we’re on this topic I’d also like to share this AMAZING Ted talk. I’ve probably shared it before, but it’s well worth seeing again anyway. Never fails to make me laugh out loud AND go all soft and gooey at the same time. Brilliant ideas, superbly delivered:
And so to the fourteenth…seek!
And turn it over to see what’s on the back…
GIFTS: “A wonderful gift may not be wrapped as you expect.”
– Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Now take a moment to pause and reflect upon how Gifts have shown up in your life recently. Were they beautifully wrapped to tempt you, or well hidden to make you do some work? What do you find more pleasurable? To give or to receive gifts? What gifts/talents do you have inside you, and have they already been unwrapped, or are they still waiting to be revealed…
Fourteen stockings turned! Hope to see you tomorrow for number 15.
Do continue to share your thoughts and reflections in the comments section below as you wish…
20 Monday Apr 2015
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
exchange, generosity, gifts, happiness, inequality, money, service, simplicity, the market
I’ve now been here in Devon for just over two months and, though I am still learning about why I’ve made this choice to offer a year of service (possibly two years) as a full time cook in a Buddhist retreat centre, it’s now become clear to me what at least one of those reasons is.
Today was a day off for me and, as is often my custom, I spent several hours of it at the local library, where I watched a couple of TED talks and continued reading a book I took out recently, both of which inspired this post, and my new insight.
The TED talk was presented by Dan Ariely, and is on the topic of inequality. Some of the figures quoted made my jaw fall wide open and stay open for longer than is normally socially acceptable (so I did close it, though I’d have liked to have left it open a little longer to truly to give expression to what I was feeling). In America, the bottom 20% have 0.1% of the total wealth (no, I have not mistakenly put a decimal point in, that’s the true figure) and the top 20% have 84% of the wealth. That basically means, of every million dollars, $1000 goes to the bottom 20% and $840,000 goes to the top 20%. Watch if you dare – and any photos of your jaws dropping wide open will be received with delight at harulaladd(at)yahoo(dot)com
This book is one I’ve read before, and one I’m getting even more from on a second reading. It’s an exploration of the nature of exchange, and a comparison between the exchange of gifts and commercial exchange, particularly in relation to the arts and creativity. One bold early statement is ‘…a work of art can survive without the market, but where there is no gift, there is no art.’
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Gift-Creative-Spirit-Transforms/dp/0857868470
So, one of the reasons I’m here is to reconnect with, and immerse myself in, the economy of generosity and gift exchange. For a variety of reasons I found myself outwardly immersed primarily in commercial exchange over the last couple of years, and this had begun to have a poisonous effect on my inner life. Those things I hold dear, that nourish me, and that I choose to give value and priority too (simplicity, caring, time alone free from schedules, quality time with loved ones, unconditional creativity, generosity of spirit as well as material giving, etc etc…) had no discernible value in the commercial market paradigm, and as a result my opinion of my own value was plummeting.
Being here, those very qualities I cherish are the ones I am not only given permission to prioritize, but I am actively encouraged and supported in cultivating them as fully and wholeheartedly as I can. I can excel again, because what I have to contribute is exactly what is being asked for. I can be nourished, and grow again, because what I need is exactly what I am receiving.
So what do I have to contribute? My full and dedicated service to all who live, and come on retreat here, whether that be cooking a meal that meets all the various needs of those following different diets, or helping someone who’s just that moment accidentally broken a flower vase, and is shaken and unable to clean it up herself. I give her a hug and take my time, though I’m already late for my shift in the kitchen. My feedback and insights in group discussions where, all opinions are given equal weight. My willingness to learn, and my sincere desire to grow and expand my ability to communicate with compassion and clarity.
There is no monetary value you can put on most of this, and there is nothing you could pay me, or indeed anyone, that would force me to do such things, because they require a certain quality of heart that can not be bought. Why? Because such actions are a choice, motivated by something much more profound that pounds and dollars. And so I collect the thank you notes, and I receive the smiles and the hugs. Gratitude is a natural and equal partner in this exchange.
And what do I receive? An opportunity to cultivate an outlook and way of being that will bring more genuine happiness into my life. An opportunity to step out of ‘the market’ and to see myself, others, the planet and all of nature from the perspective of complete interconnectedness and mutual interdependence. An opportunity to recalibrate my value system, and experience how much a simple act of kindness can mean to me; a smile, an offer to wash my dishes, a hug when I need one, a clear and caring reality check when I’ve gone into story and drama that is creating unnecessary fear and sadness.
And in the background of all of this is…time. Life is slower here in many ways. I’m part of a team, I don’t have to interact regularly with the fast paced-supermarket- multiple choice-full calendar life that most people are immersed in. I’m very aware of appearing over sentimental here, or of over simplifying things, but yesterday I took a long walk through fields of ewes with their lambs, and trees full of singing birds, and the simple joy of the birdsong and tender beauty of young lambs skipping filled me fit to bursting…and I get that feeling regularly, every day. How many people go days, weeks, months, dare I say years, without consciously enjoying the simple gifts all around them?
Some may see my life choice as one of sacrifice, but anything I have let go of has done nothing but make space for something of much greater value. I have experienced moments of a very pure and grounded happiness that feels rooted in something far more sustainable and real that anything money can buy. And, as with my recent post about the use of cars, this isn’t about ‘money is bad’ , money is still a part of my life, but this is about becoming rich in spirit, in joy, in the celebration of life as a gift.
I had begun to see life as something to survive, to get through. I didn’t see how I could be a success when judged on the values of the world of commercial exchange, or how I would find happiness there, but I could function in that world. Maybe that was the point. Maybe that was enough. But, if I was honest, I knew, for me anyway, it wasn’t enough.
I have found a way to contribute again, where the gifts I bring are received with such grace that the desire to give flows freely. I am receiving gifts which I value so highly, I could never repay them with a direct and comparable gift…so I pass the feeling of the gift on, in my own way, and so I become part of an exchange that is limitless, because it feeds itself, and becomes exponentially greater the more it is given away…
That’s why I’m here
30 Sunday Nov 2014
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
advent, creativity, flow, freedom, generosity, gifts, giving, good deeds, gratitude, life, love, receiving
“Presents are made for the pleasure of who gives them, not the merits of who receives them.”
― Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Shadow of the Wind
Giving is the reflection of receiving, for one can’t exist without the other, and there is a playful universal dance that grows ever more expressive and ecstatic when we feed into that magic law with generous abandon.
I came across this article recently…
http://positivenews.org.uk/2014/blogs/16714/day-christmas-neighbour-gave-me/
…and I recognised in it ripples from an article in this magazine…
…about this book…
…and then I began to join the dots:-)
So yesterday found me spontaneously doing a major sort out, and I began to fill a designated Box of Delights (had to call it that because there was a book and a TV series of the same name which I loved as a child…anyone else remember that?) with potential gifts, items I no longer needed but that would bring joy to another. So I have committed myself to giving one thing away a day for advent. Quite how this will evolve I’m not sure, but instead of recounting good deeds, for the next four Sunday posts I will detail what I gave away during the week.
Freedom is a huge word which has always had a powerful resonance with me, and I have gone through several different versions of it in my life, being lucky enough to have been gifted a lot of it in various ways. I’ve acquired along the way several different tools that bring me closer to Freedom in its purest form, and I believe giving is one of the most powerful amongst my assembled kit. May I wield it consciously, playfully and with love.
Good Deeds Received
A much beloved friend sent me a very beautiful long email which touched me deeply, and also a text asking for my current address (I must’ve made a real mess of her address book, as I seem to keep moving!). I wonder what she needs that for…?:-)
My mother unexpectedly turned up to pick me up from work as she’d finished early in the cafe. That saved me a walk to the bus station, not to mention a boring wait and a late arrival home. What a treat!
My sister sent me a wonderful letter, which included gorgeous photos, summing up the highlights of her year with her family (she is married with three children) along with a mini sweet filled advent calendar which she’d gift wrapped and presented with so much love and care, not to mention creative flair.
My new polish friend and now student was soooo excited by the book I lent her last Friday (a Paulo Coelho book called Like the Flowing River, which is a collection of mini stories and inspirational reflections) she couldn’t stop thanking me, and then on Monday she thanked me again and said she thought it was going to be her favourite book ever:-)
Another factory friend gave me her contact details and asked that we keep in touch when she left on Friday, as she had decided to finish her contract early.
A friend and her boyfriend, who’d been away for a couple of weeks, turned up spontaneously at the cafe last night and helped Mum and I clean up after a busy day – what a gift!
I opened my inbox this morning to a lovely email from a friend asking that we have a walk and catch up together soon, as I seemed to have disappeared or been ‘gobbled up by the factory and turned into a biscuit…I miss you.’:-)
Good Deeds Done
Sent one of the homemade Christmas cards I’ve been making to my sister in Germany, and included a letter to thank her for the advent calendar and photos etc.
Went to Mum’s cafe earlier than planned because she ended up being really busy.
Caught up with a couple of people who’d donated things to an auction I’d held to raise money for my Rwandan friend Beatha. The things they’d offered hadn’t been sold, so I wanted to return them or find other homes for them if the gifters didn’t want them back.
Picked up some glitter and glue Mum needed for her current up-cycling creative projects. I promise to share a photo of the Christmas Tree made from an old yellow pages (!!!) soon:-) It’s GORGEOUS!
Tried out the soup recipe a friend had shared and made lunch for Mum and I. Mum’s response, ‘Sensational!’ So…make a basic leek and potato soup, then, once the potatoes are completely cooked, add a bag of fresh spinach, a tin of coconut milk and a dash of curry powder. Wizz it together and what have you got? Utter deliciousness, hot in a pot!!!
Took a moment to fill out a feedback form I found on the table in a cafe I went to, thanking them for their wonderful service.
Dug out the beautiful pre-loved advent calendar I’d been gifted by a friend and her son when they returned to Germany earlier in the year, and set it out ready for opening tomorrow! They’d been using the same one for years, as they loved it so much, so I will certainly be thinking of them as I enjoy it myself for the first time.
Have a wonderful week dear friends:-)
Love always, Harula xxx
04 Tuesday Nov 2014
Posted in Uncategorized
Today is my Dad’s birthday. I’m not going to get overly sentimental here, but my father is a very remarkable man who has not only been a solid supportive rock throughout my life, but who also has a softness I haven’t met in many men – and this combination is utterly beautiful. He also has a love of music which, when I’m in his company, fiercely infects me. So, for the man who has everything, what do I give him for a milestone birthday?
I got inspired at the weekend and spent most of Saturday evening and nearly all of Sunday creating an alternative present – a song list of seventy songs, one for every year of his life. For him I’ve included comments on why I chose each song and what they mean to me, but I’ll keep that personal. Here I just want to share the list, beginning with the first ten years from 1944 – 1953. I have had so much fun meeting or revisiting these old classics – enjoy! And if you have an alternative recommendation for any of these years, do share in the comments…
1944 Swinging on a star – Bing Crosby
1945 Accentuate the positive – Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers
1946 Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow – Vaughn Monroe
1947 La Vie en Rose – Edith Piaf
1948 Nature Boy – Nat King Cole
1949 Some Enchanted Evening – Perry Como
1950 Goodnight Irene – Gordon Jenkins and the Weavers
1951 Mockin’ Bird Hill – Patti Page
1952 Jambalaya on the Bayou – Hank Williams
1953 PS I love you – The Hilltoppers
Good Deeds Received
A kindly welcome from my colleagues at the factory, and lots of support while I tried to get up so speed packing biscuit boxes on a fast conveyor belt!
I have been offered a try out at the retreat centre I mentioned last week! I will go for a week in January and then, if they accept me, I will start the job in their kitchen for real in February. I’m very excited!
Several people have been very kind in affirming my decision to take a job at Gaia House, saying it feels right – but they’ll miss me…
Mum cooked a delicious meal for me on my first night back in her house, and let me use her car to go to and from work as she didn’t need it.
Got a lovely postcard from my niece, who is in America with her Dad at the moment.
Got a lovely text from the friend whose house I stayed in, thanking me for the care I’d taken of the house and the cat.
Had a really magical, inspiring conversation with the friend who reared the guinea fowl I’ve been helping to look after.
Good Deeds Done
Gave an English lesson to the husband of a friend of mine who wants to leave the factory and work as an electrician, which he is qualified to do in his own country – but he needs to improve his language to do that work here.
Created a song list for my Dad – hope it’s as much fun for him, as it was for me compiling it…
Got a life back from the factory from my friend and her husband during my first week of work. So nice to be able to share my first week of experiences with them.
Went pine cone collecting for my friend, before she returns, to replace those I’d used to start the fire while living at her place.
Went food shopping for my Mum, before returning to stay at her place again for a while.
Fed my friend’s guinea fowl while she was away.
Helped out in Mum’s cafe when the woman who usually helps her clean up at the end of the weekend wasn’t able to come.
01 Sunday Jun 2014
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
abundance, awareness, compassion, earth, gifts, good deeds, inspiration, kindness, life, service, singing, song
Wow, what a day:-) I wrote an email to several friends this morning, some of which I shared in a post earlier today, and already I have the money I was aiming for to help my friend in Rwanda! Not only do I have it, I had it, it my bank account, in less than two hours from the moment of sending the email!!! Isn’t that INCREDIBLE!? So, that’s a great ‘Good Deed received indeed!!!’ start to June:-) And I thought this Camus quote was great, because I can feel the difference, between generosity and charity, even if I don’t know that I could explain it very well and, well, today was ALLLLLLL about generosity, with bells on!
But for now, let’s catch up on last week…
Sunday 25th May
Brought my Mum and her business partner a piece of still warm rhubarb cake from the brunch leftovers in the community kitchen. When they saw me coming with the loaded plate from 50 yards away, they started shouting, ‘We love you, we love you!’.
AND good deed(s) received:
Mum waited for me to finish my care shift so she could give me a lift home, even though she’d been working all day.
Monday 26th May
Dug deep to lead a very enjoyable and moving group discovery games session on my own, though I could feel I didn’t have much in reserve by the end.
AND good deed(s) received:
So much warm appreciation, and loads of loving hugs from the people I’d led the games session for.
Tuesday 27th May
Met with a colleague to discuss lesson planning, and ended up supporting her in managing a tricky cultural misunderstanding between two participants. Drafted an article for our community magazine, with and for a friend who was planning a fundraising. Cooked 40 crepes for one of the wedding dishes my mother was preparing.
AND good deed(s) received:
When I missed the evening bus I was distraught, but once I’d calmed myself down and summoned up a smile, I hitched a ride within minutes and ended up being 10 minutes early for my evening care shift!
Wednesday 28th May
Taught a great English lesson, which I’d put a lot into preparing, and spent some time talking to a student who hadn’t come to class, to help resolve an underlying issue. I then took extra time writing a careful and detailed email about it, to make sure all my colleagues were up to date and on the same page.
AND good deed(s) received:
Lots of great questions and enthusiastic engagment from the students.
Thursday 29th May
Taught another great lesson, to the lower level class and realised, again, how much I enjoy what I do. Answered the question of the difference between lend and borrow while waiting with the students in the lunch queue, continuing the lesson until the food stopped us from talking!
AND good deed(s) received:
My friend readily shouted me a coffee when I checked in my purse, on arrival at the cafe we had gone to, and realised I was out of cash.
Friday 30th May
Did some food shopping for Mum and I, and then cleaned for a friend, despite being a bit on the tired and overwhelmed side. Later brought Mum something to eat herself (she’d forgotten she was hungry!) while she was frying off beef for a stew in the community kitchen, as part of the wedding feast.
AND good deed(s) received:
Had a wonderful conversation with a friend over a cup of tea in the sunshine, and…the dress I had decided to wear for the wedding was kind enough to fit me!
Saturday 31st May
Spent the day helping Mum with final preparations of the wedding food, including going to the shop for last minute ingredients, and driving the food (including an incredibly ornate and delicate wedding cake – I was scared!), at no more than 5pmh, down a bumpy track to the wedding venue in the woods, back and forth three times in the car:-)
AND good deed(s) received:
A friend offered Mum and I a bathroom each (!) in her shared house for us to do a last minute freshen up and dress up before the wedding ceremony…which was soooooo beautiful. If I’ve ever seen such love and happiness before, shining through space between the locked eyes of two people who are so intent on each other they’re hardly registering the words the minister is saying…well, I just don’t think I have. A very sweet, poignant, powerful moment that it was a privilege to witness:-)
Wishing you a wonderful week dear friends.
Love and hugs, Harula xxx
25 Sunday May 2014
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
abundance, awareness, compassion, earth, gifts, good deeds, inspiration, kindness, life, service, singing, song
image credit: http://quotes.lifehack.org/quote/martin-luther-king-jr/human-salvation-lies-in-the-hands-of/
This quote has been with me for a while, ever since I heard it in a talk about, what, a month or so ago? I’ve been wanting to write a poem about it, but haven’t found my angle yet, it’s just sooooo huge, like, it’s massive!!! Don’t you think? I mean I read this quote and it’s like I get soul shivers. And this week, I sat with it a bit and tried to find some examples from my own life where I’ve demonstrated this ‘creative maladjustment’ – I found a few mini ones. What I noticed though, was that a lot of them were moments, short term, spontaneous courageous responses. But the key here is staying power.
I watched a beautiful TED talk about a guy who didn’t speak for 17 years and only walked (no riding in any motorised vehicle) in response to witnessing a catastrophic oil spill back in the early seventies.
Uber inspiring stuff, but that was his response. What’s mine? I look at the world and there are any number of causes crying out for attention, for support for…but what’s mine? Where can I best contribute? How can I respond to all that need?!?
I also want to share with you a fantastic challenge my fellow good deed blogger has taken on, because it totally fits this ‘creative maladjustment’ theme. She’s challenged herself to only say good things, no negative gossiping or putting down.
Do you realise how big that is? How hard that is? How accustomed we as a culture have become to bad mouthing each other in the name of humour and letting off steam? I haven’t committed myself yet because I want to think carefully about this one – if I do it I want to do it with my whole self. Maybe I’ll just try it for 24 hours and see how I go, without telling anyone yet. That said, I have already become more aware of when I engage in this kind of talk, and of how I feel when I hear others doing it, which is a start. Do please check out Rosie’s most recent post.
http://rosieamber.wordpress.com/2014/05/25/good-deeds-year-2-week-5/
And also the article that inspired her:
So, ummmm, after thinking i didn’t have an intro….so I’ll keep the rest brief. Love you guys – be well:-)
Sunday 18th May
Gave a mini tour of the community to a new arrival, a French woman who had come a week early to orient herself before starting the one month English language course.
AND good deed(s) received:
She was very appreciative, and the weather didn’t rain on us! Oh, and a care colleague broke out the biscuits when we made time to sit and catch up over a cuppa…
Monday 19th May
Spent two hours with a new colleague creating lesson plans for her first week of teaching English here, having already spent the morning collecting, printing and preparing useful material for her.
AND good deed(s) received:
A very enthusiastic and appreciative response to my support.
Tuesday 20th May
Gave a well-prepared and personalised English lesson to the French woman I’d welcomed earlier in the week, and showed her where she could pick up a free spare pair of trousers, as hers had a rip. Also promised to bring in a needle and thread the next day.
AND good deed(s) received:
A lovely hug from an ex colleague and she was so happy for me when I told her about how my year was shaping up, especially the plans to volunteer teach in Burma/Myanmar for three months from October. Oh, and I was offered the summer teaching job in my old home town!!! I start beginning of July!
Wednesday 21st May
Put a lot of love and gentleness (and some songs…) into my shift with the elderly lady I care for, as she has become so very frail, and no longer opens her eyes or speaks. She barely ate anything when we tried to feed her.
AND good deed(s) received:
Lots of laughter and profound discussion during a lesson I gave, as well as appreciation for the needle and thread I’d remembered:-)
Thursday 22nd May
Helped an overwhelmed friend clean in preparation for some B&B guests she was expecting…one of whom had arrived early! It was chaotic, but we got it done:-)
AND good deed(s) received:
I was very touched by my new English student’s appreciation of some poems I brought along to share with her (Rumi, Hafiz etc) and she was so enthusiastic about the time we’ve had together, and how supportive it’s been for her over the last four days.
Friday 23rd May
At my colleague’s request, I sang to the elderly lady I care for as we settled her for the night. It was taking longer than usual as she was coughing a lot and we were trying to find her a comfortable and safe position. We all feel she is not long for this world.
AND good deed(s) received:
I was made to feel like a good luck charm when I was walking in town, and bumped into a man I know who was lamenting the lack of buses and taxis, and disappointed that he’d have to wait over an hour to get home. Just as I was making the suggestion that he wait in the library where he could keep warm and entertained, a taxi passed and he flagged it down, thanking me profusely! Very cool:-) AND…I was in one of my strange ‘what’s my purpose?!’ (aka what’s the point?!) moods, and was saved by a trip to the library where I typed into google ‘quotes purpose’ – honestly, sooooo inspiring, and this was one of the best…
Saturday 24th May
I did a full day (9 hours!) in Mum’s cafe, as her colleague was sick and I happened to be free.
AND good deed(s) received:
Mum insisted on paying me, when my intention had been to work for nothing, and help her out…
Wishing you a wonderful week dear friends.
Love and hugs, Harula xxx
18 Sunday May 2014
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
abundance, awareness, compassion, earth, gifts, good deeds, inspiration, kindness, life, service, singing, song
image credit: http://www.nature.com/ki/journal/v62/n5/fig_tab/4493262f1.html
Life is like a perfect puzzle at the moment, with everything slotting into place incredibly neatly, if at times a little tightly. I just have to keep reminding myself to breathe and focus on finding the freedom that’s inside instead of getting too caught up in the structures that contain (and constrain?!) my life on the outer. I’m reminded to step back and enjoy the bigger picture and not to get too obsessed with the individual puzzle pieces, which after all, can only offer a tiny taste of the truth in and of themselves. You know that story about the blind men and the elephant…?
Sunday 11th April
Took a plastic bag with me to pick litter as I walked to work. It was so interesting to see my attitude change. At first I felt very self-conscious, but gradually I really started to enjoy myself, and how I was slowed down by the task, and started to be glad when I saw more litter to pick, as if it was treasure or something, or I was proud with myself for spotting it! Got me thinking about how I approach ‘bad’ things/people in life, and I asked myself if there was a way to shift my perspective to see it all as treasure that has a valuable lesson in its midst, and not to go round tut tutting and judging but rather to lighten up and say, ‘Oh look, there’s another irritating person! Let me go and practice my patience and compassion…’ No, seriously, I…oops, there I go being serious again:-)
AND good deed(s) received:
I got a lift halfway in to work, so I could really slow down as I walked the rest of the way and pick up every bit of litter I found! I got gifted a delicious pizza for dinner from my Mum’s take away place:-) Mum was still away and I helped them clean up at the end of the day when their regular end of the day helper didn’t turn up.
Monday 12th April
Had the most incredible morning where I held (or at least was the channel for – honestly, that’s how it felt, I sure didn’t do ‘that’ by myself!) a life writing session for a group doing a program called ‘creative maturity’. It was deeply moving and when I asked them at the end to individually sum up the morning with three words, or a gesture, the first man silently bowed deeply to me. I didn’t know how to contain that kind of gratitude…
AND good deed(s) received:
A friend made time in her busy life to have a coffee with me and share her news. The sun shone on an afternoon of gardening work, turning what was already pleasurable into pure joy.
Tuesday 13th May
I spent the morning unpacking a few boxes and moving furniture in Mum’s new house so that it would be a bit welcoming for when she arrived back from England. Was there to welcome her and made lunch for the two of us. Gave her the small present I’d bought for her in Sweden. Spent HOURS on the phone with utilities companies getting the details/supply switched over to Mum’s new address.
AND good deed(s) received:
Mum gave me the car so I could drive home and also take some colleagues to a training day the next day, which made it so much easier than taking a bus. She also warmly thanked me for my time on the phone!
Wednesday 14th May
Volunteered myself to be prodded and lifted and generally manhandled as people practices the techniques we were learning. Agreed to squeeze in a cleaning job for a friend the next day.
AND good deed(s) received:
Had an inspiring and enjoyable day training on the correct methods for moving and handling people who are vulnerable, like the elderly lady I care for. Mum cooked dinner for the two of us, when I got back, and then drove me home.
Thursday 15th May
Made a point of using and applying the techniques we learned yesterday as I worked with our elderly lady, along with a colleague who had also attended yesterday. We helped each other to remember and reflect.
AND good deed(s) received:
Lots of appreciation from the friend I cleaned for, as well as his usual overpayment/tip:-)
Friday 16th May
Made time to hang out and catch up with a dear friend, and her newly turned one year old little son. Helped entertain, and push and lift and play with this adorable little being, and his friend. Gave my evening care shift my full attention, even though my mind was trying to plot and plan lessons and transport etc for the summer!
AND good deed(s) received:
Mum let me have her new sitting room to myself for an hour for a phone interview, as I have very bad mobile reception where I live and the land line wasn’t up and running yet since the move. Was provisionally offered a teaching job (English Language summer school) over the summer in my old home town! Still waiting for written confirmation, but it looks 95% sure!
Saturday 17th May
Prioritised writing and sending a card, and a small pressie from Sweden, for my sister’s birthday, which is next week – it was in the post by 10.30am:-) I agreed to help a friend with a fundraising project.
AND good deed(s) received:
My friend treated me to the coffee and scone I’d just had and also invited me to lunch:-) I was generously paid and appreciated, as well as entertained with conversation while I cleaned for a older woman in the community.
Wishing you a wonderful week dear friends.
Love and hugs, Harula xxx
11 Sunday May 2014
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
abundance, awareness, compassion, earth, gifts, good deeds, inspiration, kindness, life, service, singing, song
image credit: http://www-markinfo.slu.se
While I work out how to get my photos off my phone, here’s one to whet your appetite. This is Lake Vanern, a huge lake within five minutes walk from my friend’s house – absolutely stunning!
Sunday 4th April
My friend and I did some shopping for garden supplies, and returned to set up a new raised bed in which to plant the herbs her daughter had bought. We also helped mark out the second part of the forest path (I got to play ‘bread crumb scatterer’ as I tied red tape around trees every now and then so we’d find our way back the same way…see poem at the end of this post). Picked nettles to take back with us for nettle soup!
AND good deed(s) received:
Lots of magic from the forest which shared its beauty with us generously and abundantly:-) A warm text message of appreciation from my friend’s daughter including a photo of the herbs she’d already planted in the raised bed we’d helped set up while we were driving back to my friend’s house.
Monday 5th April
Having checked the weather forecast I mowed my friend’s lawn and painted another raised bed we’d bought (for her own garden) to take advantage of the ‘soon to be temporarily leaving us’ wonderful weather. Rinsed and sorted the nettles, ready for cooking.
AND good deed(s) received:
My friend cooked us a delicious nettle soup and watered me generously with nourishing praise and appreciation.
Tuesday 6th May
I confirmed my application for another three week silent work retreat at Gaia House which I am beyond excited about! There was such magic around this, as I knew I wanted to go again and then they advertised on their website a cancellation which just happened (!!) to be exactly the three week period I’d kept open for something else. Sometimes the Universe’s messages are subtle, and other times it writes them in bold capitals! Know what I mean? 🙂
AND good deed(s) received:
Lots of enthusiastic appreciation for a poem I posted here (thanks all:-) and a wonderful conversation with my friend that reminded me, well, in a nut shell that I can take life too seriously, and that’s not always helpful. It was said in such a way that it sank in deeper than it ever has before. Let’s be honest, it’s not the first time I’ve been told this! In fact, another very dear friend, who was similarly inclined, used to joke with me that we should run a workshop/seminar called, ‘Life is Serious!’.
Wednesday 7th May
A rainy day during which I caught up with emailing and sharing good deeds, whilst also making another batch of those raw food truffle treats I told you about, and got my friend’s sewing machine threaded and up and running, despite having only the diagrams to go on as I couldn’t read the Swedish instructions!
AND good deed(s) received:
Received further details and gratitude from Gaia House (cue another ‘happy dance’) regarding the work retreat. A colleague from the care team I’m part of texted to let me know of some shifts I could take on when I get back, and offered to sign me up for those I wanted.
Thursday 8th May
Bought some small presents for people back home, and helped my friend set up the raised bed I’d painted the other day, and fill it with compost.
AND good deed(s) received:
My friend took me on a fantastic tour of churches, ancient rock art, museums and galleries. We took in so much in a single day, including some places she’d never visited herself. She later helped me to print off my tickets for the next day, and found a container that held exactly 100ml so I could take some of the marmalade we’d made home with me. (you can’t take liquids in quantities of more than 100ml on planes…)
Friday 9th May
Said goodbye to my friend with as much warmth and gratitude as I could without creating an indoor waterfall display. I played ‘staring games’ with a cute toddler on the seat in front of me in the train – really fun:-)
AND good deed(s) received:
Had lots of kind and considerate help and understanding from many I met on my journey home when they realised I couldn’t understand their language! This was a great gift to an English Language teacher, as it reminded me how my students must feel when they’re in a situation where they don’t understand, and can’t communicate effectively. It’s been a long time since I was in a country where I didn’t know a single word of the local language. (Ok, so I learned thank you – Tack!)
image credit: http://swegate.ru
Saturday 10th May
Spent time with friends and colleagues who run a B&B where a student who is arriving early is going to stay. They will be away when she arrives so I’ll be hosting her, and they wanted to show me around the place and make sure I knew all the ins and outs so I could explain them to her. Offered to take on another care shift tomorrow when I bumped into a colleague who’d been run off her feet this lat week, as so many of us had been away.
AND good deed(s) received:
Such a warm welcome home from everyone I bumped into, so lovely to be back:-)
And here’s a poem about making the path:
Path making
I wrapped my arms
round the waist
of each chosen tree
with my ribbon of red,
pulling it back like a belt
to tie a bow
and joking to myself
that I hoped the trees
weren’t ticklish
for they weren’t shy,
allowing me to hug
without once flinching
as I leant into their strength
until the rough bark
kissed my smooth cheek
And the trees
became stones
which became water
as the forest dissolved
into the restless lake
all movement and glitter
as the sun danced with the wind
on her glassy surface
for our mesmerized audience of three
until the stillness of the trees
called us back
and the green shadows
swallowed us whole
until our eyes picked out
the dainty red bows
on the proud brown trunks
and we followed
our own footsteps
home
Wishing you a wonderful week dear friends.
Love and hugs, Harula xxx
Poetry, Plants & Planet
a new way with poetry
The Poem and the World
Welcome to occasional reviews, comments and news from this Leicester, UK based writer of poems, stories and book reviews
Never Knowingly Mainstream
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