It started with a you tube video,
a serendipitous finding of a bag of fabric circles left over from a Children's Day project,
and a desire to shift out of a persistent low mood,
to adjust my perception
and my engagement with life.
I want to bloom where I am planted,
to blossom,
to flourish.
I start each day with these words,
"This is the day that lies ahead,
these are the hours,
this is my life."
These few words invite me
to be present,
to be mindful,
to be attentive,
to cherish,
to enjoy,
to be GRATEFUL.
I have set up a small workspace with
the bag of fabric circles,
a box of buttons,
needle and thread,
bamboo sticks
and a hot glue gun.
Each day I will spend time
creating a flower with five petals,
imbuing it with something I am grateful for that day.
a serendipitous finding of a bag of fabric circles left over from a Children's Day project,
and a desire to shift out of a persistent low mood,
to adjust my perception
and my engagement with life.
I want to bloom where I am planted,
to blossom,
to flourish.
I start each day with these words,
"This is the day that lies ahead,
these are the hours,
this is my life."
These few words invite me
to be present,
to be mindful,
to be attentive,
to cherish,
to enjoy,
to be GRATEFUL.
I have set up a small workspace with
the bag of fabric circles,
a box of buttons,
needle and thread,
bamboo sticks
and a hot glue gun.
Each day I will spend time
creating a flower with five petals,
imbuing it with something I am grateful for that day.
DAY ONE
DAY TWO
DAY THREE
I am grateful for ...
jigsaw puzzles. I have borrowed a card table and have started a 1000 piece jigsaw. It is an old puzzle, so there is no guarantee all the pieces are still there! But that doesn't bother me. There is something meditative, calming, invitational about the box of pieces. I watched the movie "Puzzle". They talked about creating order out of chaos, how a completed puzzle reflects the good choices we make. Affirming. Encouraging. Nourishing. |
DAY FOUR
I am grateful for ...
my walking stick, a fallen branch found on a forest walk. A gift from Tane, God of the forest. Thank you. It fits so beautifully in my hand, worn soft now like seasoned leather. The end is chewed and scuffed, the result of encounters with inquisitive dogs (and not so friendly canines!) and mindful meanderings along pavements and trails. I love the sound of it's 'clunk' on the path, timed with every fourth footstep. I love how it doodles my musings in the sand by the lake. A faithful companion. |
DAY FIVE
I am grateful for ...
my daily Qi Gong practice. It is an embodied holistic practice, inviting mind, body and spirit to work in unison for my health and well-being. Although I sometimes begin reluctantly, by the end of this routine I feel calm, at peace, hopeful, vibrant. I am indeed blessed. |
DAY SIX
"Trees bend with ripened fruit;
clouds hang down with gentle rain; noble people bow graciously. This is the way of generous things." Bhartrhari I am grateful for ... fruit trees. Plum. Lemon. Feijoa. They generously give oxygen to breathe; fruit to savour; nourishment for birds; pollen for bees; shade from the sun. They remind me daily of stability; and promise. |
DAY SEVEN
I am grateful for ...
the ability to walk, the freedom to walk. Joyce Rupp titled her book on the Camino "Walk in a Relaxed Manner". That is how I like to walk. Relaxed. Mindful. Attentive to my surroundings: the variety of wildflowers, the hum of approaching cars, the lapping of lake waters, the overhead screech of water birds, the rustle of oak leaves, the acrid smell of smoke from the mini steam train. Attentive to my body: the swing of my arms, the firm fit of my feet in my shoes, the shade given my face from the floppy hat I wear. "Walking brings me back to myself." Laurette Mortimer |
DAY EIGHT
DAY NINE
I am grateful for ...
chalk drawings on the pavement. They are a tangible reminder to play; to allow myself to draw outside the lines; to use my imagination; to rejoice in colour; to express myself joyfully; that nothing is permanent; not to take myself too seriously; to pause. Now where is that stick of chalk? |
DAY TEN
I am grateful for ...
the sunrise. Mary Oliver writes in "Why I wake early" "Hello sun in my face Hello you who spread the morning across the fields and into the face of tulips and nodding morning glories ..." There is something about standing with the rising sun, feeling the earth beneath my feet bow in gratitude. Everything I am, everything I eat and use and wear and see is dependent on the sun rising. |
DAY ELEVEN
DAY TWELVE
"The doors to the world of the wild Self
are few but precious. If you have a deep scar, that is a door, if you have an old, old story, that is a door. If you love the sky and water so much you almost cannot bear it, that is a door. If you yearn for a deeper life, a full life, a sane life, that is a door." Clarissa Pinkola Estes. I am grateful for ... doors. |
DAY THIRTEEN
I am grateful for ...
shadows. They remind me that the sun is shining. They accompany me on my solitary walks. They let me know the time of day. They invite me to sit in their coolness. They dance unashamedly in the wind. They inspire great philosophers. They entertain. They remind me of the impermanence of all things. |
DAY FOURTEEN
I am grateful for ...
change. I was very surprised, stunned even, when I realised I was grateful for change. My default setting whenever change is in the wind, is to withdraw, maybe sulk a little, definitely challenge change's demands. But as I spent time reflecting, I came to see that change is a part of my every day. Night changes into day. Caterpillar changes into chrysalis into butterfly. Bud changes into blossom into fruit. Clouds change the skyline minute by minute. Every single breath I take changes my body. I am grateful for change. |
DAY FIFTEEN
I am grateful for ...
disappointment. "Why?", I ask myself. It is an invitation to consider my motivations, my relationships, my need for affirmation, my attachments. Disappointment isn't good or bad. It is simply an emotion which provides information, if I have the willingness to receive it as a welcome guest and listen. |
DAY SIXTEEN
I am grateful for ...
windows. Apertures to engage, to focus the attention. Frames to direct the eye. to emphasise detail, to capture the heart. Latches to allow air to flow freely, cats to escape, to hint at freedom. Clear panes of glass to invite meditation, to refract the sunbeams, to ground me in this space. |
DAY SEVENTEEN
I am grateful for ...
nests. Nests built with loving intention. Those built with materials at hand. Nests where the young are nourished and nurtured and ... let go. Nests are created seasonally, for a specific reason, and then abandoned. Nests remind me to live gently with the seasons, to live with purpose but not attachment, to let go. |
DAY EIGHTEEN
I am grateful for ...
crossword puzzles (that I fill out using PEN!) I like that the crossings-out show my fallibility! I like seeing the process that I use to arrive at a solution. I like the way ink flows on the newsprint. I love the "Aha!" moment when an answer reveals itself. Fallibility. Process. Flow. Revelation. So much to be grateful for! |
DAY NINETEEN
DAY TWENTY
DAY TWENTY ONE
I am grateful for ...
firewood. I am grateful for the merchant who felled the trees and transported it to me. I am grateful for the sun which nourished the trees. I am grateful for the forest which provided a place for the trees to grow. I am grateful for the rain which watered the trees. I am grateful to Tane, God of the Forests, who has gifted me this firewood. |
DAY TWENTY TWO
I am grateful for ...
a lawn covered with dandelions! Following the light throughout the day. Bending, swaying in the breeze. Attracting the pollinators. Gently closing in the dwindling light. A joyful colour! And when the lawnmower razes them to the ground, they simply start again! Joy Strength Resilience Rest |
DAY TWENTY THREE
DAY TWENTY FOUR
I am grateful for ...
gentle rain after a long dry spell. The refreshing coolness in the air. The scent of wet earth. The slosh of tyres on a wet road. The glistening of water on leaves. The caressing of raindrops on my cheek. The pleasure of paddling in puddles. The croaking of frogs aroused in the pond across the road. The gentle light of sun's rays through grey clouds. The rousing "Hallelujah" from farmers and horticulturalists. I am grateful for rain. |
DAY TWENTY FIVE
I am grateful for ...
curiousity. Curiousity that draws me to read the next chapter in a book. Curiousity that invites me to pause and watch a colourful butterfly ready itself for flight. Curiousity that encourages me to engage in conversation with strangers. Curiousity that tempts me to walk a different path to the lake. Curiousity that asks so many questions that drives me to seek answers. Curiousity that says, "You are alive!" |
DAY TWENTY SIX
I am grateful for ...
distant mountains. They remind me that I am a part of something much, much bigger. They appear timeless: forged millennia ago. They invite me to scale the mountains within, to keep all things in perspective. They reflect the changing seasons, the variations in light and dark, just as I do. |
DAY TWENTY SEVEN
DAY TWENTY EIGHT
DAY TWENTY NINE
DAY THIRTY
DAY THIRTY ONE
DAY THIRTY TWO
DAY THIRTY THREE
DAY THIRTY FOUR
DAY THIRTY FIVE
I am grateful for ...
touch. A 40 second bear hug that fills me with oxytocin. A gentle handshake that acknowledges my existence. A doctor's gentle diagnostic touch. The warm touch of sunlight caressing my cheek. The cool touch of a refreshing breeze. The welcoming touch of crisp clean sheets. the comforting touch of my pillow. |
DAY THIRTY SIX
DAY THIRTY SEVEN
DAY THIRTY EIGHT
DAY THIRTY NINE
DAY FORTY
DAY FORTY ONE
DAY FORTY TWO
DAY FORTY THREE
I am grateful for ...
wild flowers. Abundant on my walks around a pond. Growing in an old tyre under my window. Cheekily poking up in cracks in the pavement. Yarrow and clover. Dandelions and daisies. Morning glory and pansies. Buttercups and thistle. Dancing in the breeze. Sparkling in the sunlight. Coy amongst the grasses. Opportunistic in the wastelands. |
DAY FORTY FOUR
I am grateful for ...
freshly caught fish. A true gift of the heart. Each tasty morsel reminds me of patience, of skill and knowledge, of technique and contemplation, of joy. Poet Brian Potiki wrote, "each morning as i quietly dress to go fishing she calls from her bed going fishing? i reply yes and leave humming" |
DAY FORTY FIVE
DAY FORTY SIX
DAY FORTY SEVEN
DAY FORTY EIGHT
DAY FORTY NINE
DAY FIFTY
DAY FIFTY ONE
Maya Angelou wrote,
"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely acknowledge the changes it has gone through to get there." I am grateful for ... the butterfly. Absolutely content to be in the present moment, being fully engaged in whatever stage it is at: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly. I have a lot to learn! |
DAY FIFTY TWO
DAY FIFTY THREE
DAY FIFTY FOUR
DAY FIFTY FIVE
DAY FIFTY SIX
DAY FIFTY SEVEN
As I loaded soiled laundry into the white box
which beeps and hums, I realised I am grateful for ... my washing machine. I think about millions of people world wide who wash and scrub by hand in rivers and lakes and oceans, in roiling hot laundries, and freeze dry in the tundra. I am blessed to fill it up, turn on the water taps and power, and let it do its magic! |
DAY FIFTY EIGHT
DAY FIFTY NINE
DAY SIXTY
I am grateful for ...
the gift of hearing. With this gift, I can hear the distant peal of church bells, the haunting whistle of the miniature steam train, the wind rattling at the window panes, the hum of traffic travelling past my home, the buzz of the weed-eater trimming the edges, the sizzle of oil in the frying pan. I am indeed blessed. |
DAY SIXTY ONE
I am grateful for ...
volunteers. They are the backbone of our communities, our country. They have a role in every activity: conservation, child care, fire fighting, coastguard, knitting for the impoverished and the frail, donating to, and running opportunity shops, mowing lawns caring for rescued animals. I am grateful for their efforts to enable me to live well in my space. |
DAY SIXTY TWO
DAY SIXTY THREE
DAY SIXTY FOUR
I am grateful for ...
new experiences. I am often a reluctant participant but the benefits far outweigh my inertia! My horizons are broadened. I understand some things more clearly. I marvel at the creativity of others. I receive the open-hearted generosity of others. I am renewed ... with a grateful heart. |
DAY SIXTY FIVE
DAY SIXTY SIX
DAY SIXTY SEVEN
DAY SIXTY EIGHT
DAY SIXTY NINE
DAY SEVENTY
I am grateful for ...
doll makers. My passion is to create dolls - textile sculptures. They speak where I do not have the words. I am in awe of doll makers around the world who express what it means to be human. These makers push boundaries, heal woundedness, enshrine spiritualities, do not fear change, explore modalities ... They epitomise what it is to be an artist. |
DAY SEVENTY ONE
DAY SEVENTY TWO
DAY SEVENTY THREE
DAY SEVENTY FOUR
DAY SEVENTY FIVE
DAY SEVENTY SIX
DAY SEVENTY SEVEN
DAY SEVENTY EIGHT
I am grateful for ...
footpaths, sidewalks, pavements. They provide a safe passage for my daily walks. Traveler, your footprints are the only road, nothing else. Traveler, there is no road; you make your own path as you walk. As you walk, you make your own road, and when you look back you see the path you will never travel again. Traveler, there is no road; only a ship's wake on the sea. Antonio Machado |