Tuesday’s Quote

Today’s quote is brought to you at the request of Karen (from Days and Months).
I posted a photo in my Monochrome Madness gallery last week of a monochrome rose and she remarked that it looks like a ‘poetry rose’. She meant that it would look great with a quote or poem beside it.
Funnily enough, when I took the photo I left that space at the right hand side of it blank for exactly that reason.

Friday Check-in

What a week it has been so far. I have found that scheduling my posts appears to be working well because I am seldom at my computer for the reason of reading blogs, commenting and writing my own posts right now.
I have a weekend workshop coming up in a couple of weeks (as part of my studies) and I have a heap of prereading, webinars to attend and assessments to complete before I get there. This is limiting my time for the fun stuff – like reading blogs. 😉

Through my Lens – Life

Life has a habit of catching us off-guard when we least expect it. How we react to circumstances can also sometimes catch us off-guard.
And that is how my week began last Monday.
Suffice to say, the issues that arose were not with me. However I have not escaped unscathed as I have fought all week with the black dog as a result.
However, I am a fighter and I am strong. The dog will not drag me along after him whilst I hang gamely onto its leash in my attempts to reign him in.

Tuesday’s Quote

Today’s quote comes to you courtesy of the delightful Pooh Bear who was such a wise little fellow with such a simplistic view of life.

It really is the little things in life that are important. The little things that make someone else feel special or cause us so much joy that we think that our hearts will explode.
A smile.
A shared joke.
A small act of kindness.
Just the little things. ❤

The Beauty of a Woman

A few days ago, I stumbled upon a Huffington Post article in my FB feed discussing the current cover of the Australian Women’s Weekly. Let me just say, that I don’t buy this magazine all the time but it is one that I do enjoy reading. My reasons for not purchasing or reading are not because it isn’t a good magazine. Because it is. It’s just that I’m not a big fan of women’s magazines in general. (The last time I bought this magazine was a few months ago because I was interested in an article on the weight loss industry in Australia). What I will say is that of the magazines for women published here, the Australian Women’s Weekly appears to have the most integrity.

Just another normal night. What is normal anyway?

I live in a house of quirk. I have blogged about this before.
My family have the weirdest sense of humour and the problem is, we all get it!!
But last night takes the cake.

Self Reflections

My posts yesterday generated a lot of wonderful, wonderful comments from you all (and a phone call from my Mum. Thanks Mum 🙂 ) that got me thinking about things.

I share a lot of my life with you all on this blog. I want you to know that I don’t write these posts for pity or compliments (although my ego does thank you). I write what I feel led to write at the time. My posts may have been triggered by comments on my blog, or comments on someone else’s blog. They may be triggered by thoughts that come to me during my meditations or something that has happened in my world somewhere. Although my posts are pretty random and sometimes all over the place, they are parts of my life. The reason I share these with you is so that you know that when I talk about looking for the blessings (and beauty April – ’cause that’s important) in life or developing gratitude, it is because I have learned from personal experience just how much it can help get through the tough times in life.

I just want to go on record that I don’t believe that I am  a strong person. If I am then I am held up by medication (and B3 Nav) and those around me who love me.

We all have these resources and inner strength. I’m just trying to help you find it. Because if we can all be happy and get past the bad times in our lives, we can be invincible! 😉

Have a blessed day 🙂

Children Learn What they Live

CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE

Dorothy Law Nolte

If a child lives with criticism,
he learns to condemn.

If a child lives with hostility,
he learns to fight.

If a child lives with fear,
he learns to be apprehensive.

If a child lives with pity,
he learns to feel sorry for himself.

If a child lives with ridicule,
he learns to be shy.

If a child lives with jealousy,
he learns what envy is.

If a child lives with shame,
he learns to feel guilty.

If a child lives with encouragement,
he learns to be confident.

If a child lives with tolerance,
he learns to be patient.

If a child lives with praise,
he learns to be appreciative.

If a child lives with acceptance,
he learns to love.

If a child lives with approval,
he learns to like himself.

If a child lives with recognition,
he learns that it is good to have a goal.

If a child lives with sharing,
he learns about generosity.

If a child lives with honesty and fairness,
he learns what truth and justice are.

If a child lives with security,
he learns to have faith in himself and in those about him.

If a child lives with friendliness,
he learns that the world is a nice place in which to live.

If you live with serenity,
your child will live with peace of mind.

 

In recent days I’ve been thinking a lot about this. Children really are a product of their environment. As the poem says, they reflect what is around them. Children are born without hate or prejudice. They see only the good in those around them. They are trusting and dependent upon the love and goodwill of others. Their attitudes toward life and circumstances are by and large a learned behaviour. Children are mimics. Any mother who has been left red-faced by a well-timed swear word from the mouth of a toddler or young child can attest to this. Children are sponges that absorb what is around them and then reflect that back to the world at large.

The Garden Gnome shared an anecdote with me last night about when he picked up the Tween from school in the afternoon. He said that as he waited in the car, he saw a young fellow leave the school and walk toward him on the footpath. The boy took an envelope from his bag and proceeded to tear it open. The GG realised that it was in fact the boy’s report card. The lad began talking to his friend as he was reading his report card and the GG overheard him say “Wow! I got a D in maths. And an E for behaviour!! How cool is that”? Now I know that at this point you may be laughing as it is a little funny. However, I am concerned that he was PROUD of the fact that he got an E for behaviour. I immediately thought “What is he learning at home”?  I know that if I ever got an E for behaviour on my report card, I’d be dead scared to bring it home to show my parents. I wouldn’t be laughing about it and showing it off to my mates that’s for sure.

And so I started thinking about how children learn what they live. If they are subject to cruelty, they learn to be cruel. If they are ignored, they learn to withdraw into themselves. If they are taught that it is alright to hate another person because of their ethnicity, gender or sexual preference then they will grow up hating those people. If they are taught that it is fine to disrespect those in authority, then they will have little regard for the laws of the land.

In a world that is becoming more dangerous by the day, it is imperative we instill good values in our children. Teach them to be tolerant and compassionate. Teach them to be responsible for their own actions. Teach them that the world does not owe them anything. Teach them to live in harmony with others. Teach them to find the beauty in their world. Teach them to be industrious. And above all teach them to love because without love the world is a bitter place to be.

Have a blessed day 🙂