Fall in...

" We lose so much by anticipating, fearing, trying to stay dry. Life is wet and now. Messy, sweet messy. Get soaked to the very bone then falling becomes less fearful." (From a post by Patti Digh of 37 days- always an inspiration)

Simple...

" The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things."
Henry Ward Beecher

Act on what is true for you...

It's all about being authentic.

Dancing lady...

This post was a timely reminder for me. Realistic goals? (any defined goals is sometimes an effort!).

Missing the boat...

"Everyone is afraid they have missed the boat. We worry that we are too old, we missed it, it passed us by...Or we fear we might miss it if we are not looking all the time, ready ready,ready.We might miss it!
But the truth is, you ARE the boat. No matter how old or young you are, you ARE the boat. You can't miss it! If you are still alive, you have things to do."--
Carolyn Myss on her show Sacred Contracts- Quote courtesy of "The Believing Soul" blog

R is for...

Inspiration
Pick a random letter and then write about 10 words that spring to mind beginning with that letter...

Run- this was the first word that sprang to mind. I have recently taken up running (I use the word loosely as what I currently achieve is probably more akin to a jog, but I LOVE IT! (and this was the girl that would play bridge at college rather than do cross country). It silences my mind and allows me to focus on taking one step after another, and for that brief time all the millions of thoughts and distractions and worries and tasks fade into nothingness.

Relish- makes my mouth water just saying it. I want to pop the word into my mouth and savour its flavours.

Rainbow-colourful and alive, somehow embracing under their arch.

Ravishing-wouldn't we all like to be or feel this at least once in our lives?

Reveal-this is an interesting one for me. I keep a great deal of "me" to me and I reveal what's under my skin to very few.

Realist-despite attempts to be the optomist I am and always will be, a realist (though that doesn't mean I don't dream, dare or live with hope)

Rumbunctious-apparently this means boisterous and disorderly (not characteristics that I think I have) but its a great word

Romp- :)

Rain-living in England you simply can't escape it. I often describe myself as a chicken in the rain (they apparently do not like it either). That said, splashing in puddles and dancing in warm rain just about makes up for the fact that we get way too much of it here!

Release-it can be so hard (but ultimately so liberating) to let go of the "stuff" of life, the things we accumulate, the people, the places. I am a natural "hoarder" and so this is an ongoing internal dialogue for me.

Beautiful day...

Today I was 38. I always contemplate my life and where I am on this day. This email below popped into my box and made me realise, despite whatever "stuff" was up there in my head, it was a day filled with beauty....sunshine, a handmade card, a kiss, a cake made with love...what a day!

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold December morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that a thousand of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk.
A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

Wishing you a new year that brings unexpected beauty from everyday life!