Our Queen - 1926 - 2022

 

Our beloved Queen - 
(Image credit: Getty Images)

There is much written about grieving, different stages, different process we all go through. Regardless of the theory around grief, nothing can really prepare you for the pain you feel, the disbelief that one minute they are there, the next they are not.  It doesn’t matter if it’s a person or an animal, it’s still the same shock nothing can lessen that or take it away. 

Some may say - how can you be upset about someone who you personally never knew. Well, you can. Like our late Queen. We may not have personally known her, but we knew her, we saw her, and she was always there in the background of our lives. Giving reassurance in particular in times of trouble times, such as the impact Covid had on us. 

Times like Christmas will never be the same, without the Queens speech. Our society will never be the same without her calm manner. Our Queen lead by example, and gave so much joy to so many.

We will miss you Ma’am. Your reassurance. Your kindness. Your Humour. Your devotion. Your Smile. These are some of your qualities that we will miss.

Rest in Peace Ma’am with your beloved Phillip and “Thank You”

(Image Credit)  Tim GRAHAM/GETTY IMAGES

Go on be courageous.

Earlswood Lakes 

The other day I decided to be brave and pop out to do some plein air art. I’m not going to say I was confident, because it sure took me out of my comfort zone. I tend to like doing things at home, in the quiet, with no one watching or asking to see my work. 

Yep, I’m not the bravest of people and I do believe that it’s because I get  worried about “Putting myself out there” I kept thinking I am not an artist, I was so hung up about it that I did stifle my creativity and I stopped myself from looking at the landscape I wanted to paint and exploring what it was I wanted to do. I know this because I can now see my composition was dreadful, my approach was all wrong and all because I panicked and thought I must put something down on paper soon. Consequently I created an art block and stopped  my imagination to flow through. 

Once I started to realise this I ceased panicking and used the time to sketch an outline of the landscape and because I realised, I didn’t have to do it right there and then. It’s not necessary to get the art right straight away, since I can always do it again. It’s not necessary about the process. What I realised it’s about letting go of fears and being brave to get out there and - just do it - 

It reminded me of the quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “It’s not the Destination, It's the Journey.”

The journey of discovery for me was quite powerful. I realised that if I hadn’t gone on that plein air art adventure  I wouldn’t have experienced a new level of confidence. It has helped me face a fear of thinking that I can’t paint, well how daft is that, since we all can. What I have learnt it’s not about my fear of not being able to paint, but about the experience of discovering my approach to my own way of painting.

I’m so glad that I did join in that day by the lake with a group of other artists, I throughly enjoyed myself. It helped me realise that being courageous can  help you embrace your fears and that you may start to believe in yourself. 

So embrace your courage, own it and don’t let fear own you.

Rough outline 

To forgive - it can be easy - be that person.

Rodin exhibition - London 

I have been thinking about the word “Forgiveness’ It’s  such a a spiritual type word that can mean so much, but can also be difficult to understand why it can take a lot to forgive. Especially as when you feel you have been hurt it can cause you  to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you.

Forgiveness is such a difficult thing to do sometimes, especially as the person can feel very angry and aggrieved. Sometimes they can feel let down over some circumstances that may have been out of their control, but it has caused them to feel aggrieved.

To forgive though, is the better option it’s less emotional you may not forget the action, but so long as you can learn why it happened. Maybe look at how you can move on from it. So to forgive is generally the better choice than to feel angry, which can only cause more inner turmoil. 

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) they use the “Five element theory” and it has been a part of TCM for centuries. Grief and anxiety emotions can be triggered as result of not forgiving. These emotional in the five elements are connected to the digestive systems, being the stomach and large intestine. So any unresolved forgiveness could lead to health issues in this area.Worth thinking about! 

It takes a stronger person to forgive, but a weak person to never forgive. 

In the words of Mahatma Gandhi 

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong” 

Be that strong person who can forgive, no matter what.

Richmond Park - Couple walking 

Covid - oh you are a naughty virus

House Sparrow 

It’s finally happened I have now officially got the Covid badge.

How I picked this up will be in remain a mystery but, all I can say I’m so grateful I’ve got the vaccination under my belt. 

I have spent the last week in bed since my energy levels are rock bottom and when I do get up to take a walk, I have never experienced being breathless quite like this. I dread to think what I would have been like if I hadn’t had the vaccination!

On a positive note, no pun intended, it has helped me do some mindfulness and also some writing. I have to my delight discovered my phone has an excellent microphone and the text appears on the screen by magic, it’s amazing. I so love a bit of technology. 

It has also give me the opportunity to watch the birds feeding outside my window (I’m lucky to live in a bungalow so my bedroom overlooks the garden) I am never bored of watching how these beautiful birds feed, interact, and sadly sometimes have arguments with each other. However, they do tend to live in harmony, they do share their space and they do wait patiently for a time when they can hop onto the feeder to enjoy a meal.

So what does Covid got to do with all this? Well it’s enabled me to take some time out from rushing around trying to do everything and sometimes achieving nothing. It has given me the opportunity to rest without guilt, especially as my energy levels are so low, but I’m pleased to say my enthusiasm for life is extremely high.

Sometimes, we do need to take time out, we do need to reflect and we do need to live in the moment. We need to be able to sit still without guilt and I’m hoping that when I’m fully recovered I don’t forget this. 

Long-tailed tit

Inspiration

Creative time

Over the past two years, well since we went into lockdown back in March 2021, I have belonged to an amazing art group that was started by a fabulous lady called Sam Morris. Sam started an online course called “Inspired to paint” - it would be very rude of me not to include a link to her website, so you can see more about Sam and her work - click here - 

Well, all I can say is that Sam’s workshops helped me find my key to unlock my creativity and I have not looked back. So “thank you” Sam..

Not only has Sam been an inspiration to me, but my lovely fellow artists who I met on Sam’s course, who have become such great friends. They have all inspired and motivated in one way or another, through their own work, or their words of encouragement. They have shown me that I should never give up. That I should never be afraid to push myself. A big ‘thank you’ to the Wednesday get together group….

I do feel everyone needs inspiration to motivate themselves to be involved in an activity that will give “self joy”  no matter what that is. It doesn’t have to be a work of art, or a photo, or a sewing project. It can be something as simple as just listening. Listening  to someone talking or listening to wildlife sounds. 

Listening is a very powerful way to inspire someone. You give them the space to chatter about what they want, or need to do, without you telling them what they should do, or what you would do.

This way it will enable them to find their own inner inspiration and become motivated to go out there and do it…. Never underestimate the power of silence and allowing and giving someone space to talk. 

One of my favourite quotes on listening is this: 

‘Nonverbal communication speaks louder than verbal communication”    Luke Shen Tein Chi 

                                                                         

 

 

Lost in thought -

Today I was treated to a new watch, mainly because I stupidly went in the swimming pool in my old one. Guess what, yes it broke, well not technically completely, but the face came off so it’s sort of difficult to wear. So today I had to get a new one. 

Now strangely this morning I had this email sent to me about mindfulness and the fact today we all live in an age of “Busy” and since the origins of ‘busy’ are mental.  It can suggest we can become “Mentally Tired” because we tend to do this:

We become lost in thought, thinking constantly about things to do, what’s been done, what could have been done, what was done wrong, what should have been done but wasn’t, what others did, are doing, should do, must do.  (Brahma Kumari 2022) 

This email message reminded me that I have forgotten how to bring my mind home. How to take time out. To stop and just listen and breath. Then, before I knew it I got caught up in the day and I didn’t do any mindfulness. 

So, where is this going? Well tonight, my new watch sent me an alert to take a moment to pause, to remind me to reflect and sit still and let silly thoughts go. So I did and it then got me in the right frame of mind to write this, which is my reminder for you to do the same. 

Take a minute to breath and reflect and let go….. take a minute to sit still, and allow your thoughts to come but let them go, and help yourself to rediscover who you are.

 

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The world will never be the same

The world will never be the same will it. Well one can hope, one virus and many deaths. But will we learn, will we change and will people  start to become focused on what is important and not about what they can get.

We are sure in a strange time, we have been in and out of lockdown and hopefully during those times we use the time wisely. To reflect over our behaviour, how we interact with each other  and more importantly how we treat others.

There are many groups that have sprung up to help people in this time of lockdown. New friends have been formed using Zoom, or Skype or Facebook to make virtual connections. New groups have sprung up to help us with our creativity or fitness and so we are learning to do live in a different world. 

Lockdown has sure affected me, in some instances for the better, but sadly it has heightened my sensitivity to situations, where I find myself being affected by people’s behaviour and consequently has triggered my PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder) I won’t go into why I was diagnosed with this many years ago, but it sure has changed how I have to live. So, lockdown has made a big impact on me as far as anxiety goes, and how I manage my emotional well-being. But,  I’m not alone it has affected many people and there are those that are not as lucky as me, since I have a fabulous support network. 

The biggest impact on me, was painting, I discovered the joy of losing myself in creating art,  and slowly my artistic side started to emerge. I love experimenting, although I do need to be motivated and sometimes encouraged to paint. So watch this space.