Mindful Writing Day 2013

Amongst  the red rooved cacophony
Of chimneys, cables, aerials and dishes
Two doves chatter
Baring their pearly oyster breasts
To the 9.00 am sun


A mindful writing initiative created by Satya and Kaspa at Writing our Way Home - follow the link if you want to take part.

16 which

Which foot hit the floor first when you got out of bed this morning? *

What if your life and death depended on that awareness? 

They do, wake up. 

page 31 word 16 which

All He Ever Wanted

Anita Shreve

Shreve writes thoughtful quiet dramas that centre on events and feelings which I think we can all probably recognise and relate to. Another book that in different circumstances I would never have read, enjoyable at the time but not memorable.

*Thanks to Kaspalita for his Eastern Therapeutic Writing Course and the David K Reynolds quote which was the inspiration here. 

What I live for

Stringing beads


I am stringing beads
Some are cheap bright plastic
Some are precious and rare.
There are hag stones,
Bits of coral and turquoise,
A twig and some silver
Two old gold rings and a ruby.
Some are made of paper and glue
With writing on them, sad, and funny too.
Some are brassy, some are onyx,
Dragon glass and sea shells
Some are made of leaves and bark
There are petals and cigarette ends.
Jet.
Crystal.
Tin.
And one I baked in the oven
And a little Buddha
And some seeds tied with red string.
Some look like pretty boys
And kisses and loving
And pretty girls too,
A few, too few too mention
Almost resemble regrets.
Some look like tears
Seen obliquely through laughter,
Diamonds and Pearls.
There are lots that look like words
Mantra shapes that vibrate
And birds and a dog and rain and joy and pain

I am stringing beads
On this necklace
Which will never end.
But stringing
The beads
 I am.I am. I am.


Written for the What I Live For event https://www.facebook.com/events/530335293684273/ curated by author Satya Robyn to celebrate the relaunch of her books in her new Buddhist name. Satya's wonderful book Thaw, about Ruth, who gives herself three months to find out what she lives for, is available at a special price for short time - read it and laugh and cry and remind yourself how precious this thing we call life really is. http://www.satyarobyn.com/?page_id=56

a reminder...

Writing Our Way Home's 3rd mindful writing initiative is almost here! 





Start 2013 by clearing a daily space for beauty - join our Mindful Writing Challenge.

Find out more: http://www.writingourwayhome.com/p/river-jan-12.html

small kindnesses

 " Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love. "  Lao Tzu

   Can any kindness really be called small by the person who receives it? Every word and every act of kindness I've ever had bestowed upon me, I've received with humility and an immeasurable amount of gratitude, no matter how seemingly small that act or word seemed to the giver, no matter how inconsequential to them, no matter their intention. And a small act can often be a timely reminder of our own occasionally  ungenerous thoughts. 

   Yesterday, over lunch with my husband, I was bemoaning the fact that twice last week while shopping, the cashier didn't give me the 1 centesimo change from the bill of whatever and 99 cents. I hastily pointed out that it isn't the money, because after all what can you do with 1 cent - but the fact that neither cashier even acknowledged the fact. Until recently, a supermarket would give you a sweet if they didn't have a couple of cents change to give you - in these euro crisis times that no longer happens. Of course, I could have said something, but that would have made me look like Mrs Scrooge, because after all...etc. Still I fulminated, these were two big stores with branches all over Italy, it's not like they need my 1 cent, and just think, if they do that to 10 people a day, every day, in every store - that all adds up you know. My husband, a simple man, looked at me and said something noncommittal. After all, he's Italian, he would have just asked where his 1 cent was. 

   Today I popped into a supermarket - part of a local chain but a branch that I don't use very often. While my shopping was being totted up, I mentioned to the cashier that I might have left my loyalty card behind when I was last in, a month or so ago. She picked up a pile of cards, sorted through and found mine without problem. I was so thankful and when she presented the bill of €15.37, I scrabbled through my purse looking for the right money as I knew that, as usual, she wouldn't have much change, but I was short of 10 cents and had to give her a €20 note. Giving it back to me, she said she would take the change as she didn't have any and I could settle the 10 cents next time. And while I had been scrabbling, she had packed my shopping. Yes, it could be said that she was making things easy for herself too and it wasn't her money after all, but as I walked home, the kindness of the cashier made me reflect on all that I had said the day before, my judgement and my pettiness. Wasn't it really that I was angry with myself for not being able to say something at the time and so in turn felt taken advantage of and therefore seen as weak? 

  That 10 cents worth of kindness not only restored my faith in humanity but also forced me, in the light of my own Buddhist faith, to face and answer honestly some questions about my own intentions and actions. The Dalai Lama has famously said that his religion is kindness - and you know, I think  kindness is a religion that all of us, of any faith and non at all, can practice every day.

Join in the Small Kindnesses  blog splash and celebrate Fiona Robyn's novel of the same name. To  find out more visit Fiona's blog ( http://www.facebook.com/l/gAQFB4qZlAQExmq2fb3T3CZ1_8LKp59lfgxAhiJye-ZnIXg/www.writingourwayhome.com/2012/11/what-small-kindness-do-you-remember.html), or join the Facebook event (http://www.facebook.com/events/226720897457793).

Kindness costs Nothing

Join our Small Kindnesses Blogsplash & write about kindness...

On Tuesday the 27th of November I'm joining the Small Kindnesses Blogsplash and writing about a special small kindness someone paid me in the past. Would you like to join me?

The Blogsplash is organised by Fiona Robyn to celebrate the release of her novel 'Small Kindnesses' which will be free on Kindle on the day. All you have to do is write something about being kind - a memory of someone who was kind to you, a list of kindnesses over the past week, or something kind you did for someone else. It'll be a celebration of kindness in all its forms, especially those little kind acts that make all the difference (like this one Fiona wrote about).

To find out more visit Fiona's blog ( http://www.facebook.com/l/gAQFB4qZlAQExmq2fb3T3CZ1_8LKp59lfgxAhiJye-ZnIXg/www.writingourwayhome.com/2012/11/what-small-kindness-do-you-remember.html), or join the Facebook event (http://www.facebook.com/events/226720897457793).

Be kind to yourself and come and join us on the day..

My religion is kindness - HH The Dalai Lama 

Mindful Writing Day 1st November 2012

Autumn Haiku

Red Geranium
Honours this November sun
With bold gratitude

Today is the first ever Mindful Writing Day initiated by Writing Our Way Home

http://www.writingourwayhome.com/p/mindful-writing-day-on-1st-of-november.html

A Most Beautiful Blogsplash

On the 24th April,  I'm taking part in the My Most Beautiful Thing Blogsplash to celebrate beautiful things - inspired by Fiona Robyn's new novel, The Most Beautiful Thing. Bloggers from all over the world are taking part and writing or posting pictures of their most beautiful things today. Find out more here and on the day you  can see everyone else's blog posts here.

Shoah Stone

I place my stone on history's memorial. It reminds me to remember never to forget what we, at our worst, are capable of.

Sneaky stone

I'm supposed to be rushing around the market, feeling up the aubergines and sniffin out the oranges while he goes off on other business but instead I go into a bar, get an espresso to go and stand in the sun and drink it. Hee hee, how delicious this sneaky little moment is, just  me and my ego playing hookey.

Tea Ceremony Stone

Home
Keys on table
Bag on chair
Kiss kiss everything ok?
Kiss kiss fine
Bathroom
Kettle on
Washing machine on
Ok? You just asked! Oh ok
Teapot
Mug
Tea
Hot water into teapot hot water from teapot into mug empty teapot two pinches of green leaves in pot, wait, ok hot water from mug back into teapot and...

Now. Here. Finally. Three minutes and the world slows, and I'm  looking at the turquoise glaze of the pot lid,  and I'm breathing slowly and looking at the reflected lights winking and twinkling on the surface of the creamy worktop and I'm thinking tea.

monday's sunday stone

Looking out to sea as if from the deck of a liner, the view was so enchantingly perfect that I couldn't convince myself that it was really real until I took my sunglasses off.

one bird, two stones

Sometimes it's more fun to be skipping stones on the beach than staying at home writing them.

I opened the window briefly to the sound of a neighbour cutting their grass and suddenly it was early summer 1965 in the school grounds under the cherry trees and the sound of tennis, the summer dresses, the sun, shade, regulation shoes and forbidden pleasures.

edible stone

That crazy sea air, so wild and free and sharp that I want to consume huge mouthfuls and be consumed in turn.

precious stone

Today's yoga lesson -  a whole ninety minutes worth of living in the moment.

not stoned....

Quite suddenly, in the middle of the afternoon, I decided to make pastry. This is what not smoking can do.

Stepping Stone

 Sitting at the kitchen table with Liliana and Carmela; we are more or less the same age but I am suddenly aware that  I no longer find it strange or agitating that they call me aunt. Conscious acceptance brings me such peace.