Eli’s family celebrated his day of baptism on Sunday. Besides being a day to share food and conversation with my children, grandchildren, and the extended family, I felt a deep meaning to the ceremony at the church, where Eli’s special day began.
It’s been a while since I went to church. I used to go there quite often when my children were little, yet over the years, as my family left school and started lives of their own, the need to visit church for their benefit came to an end.
The church where Eli was christened on Sunday is the same church where my two youngest children were christened, and where all of my children had their first Holy Communion and Confirmation.
I enjoyed visiting the church again, even though I didn’t know the priest. He was quite an elderley man and when he read the passages from the bible his voice took on a singing tone, which at first I found prevented me from understanding his words. It only took a few minutes though for me to get used to his sing-song tone and I relaxed into absorbing his message.
Aurora and Braxton
It hadn’t been pre-planned, but he involved the other children in the service as well. Braxton and Aurora held the book for him to read from, and he draped a sash over their outheld arms to carry to Eli. Braxy seemed quite shy at first, but after Aurora grasped the idea that they had been given special responsibilities, they took their role very seriously.
For me, it was meaningful to see the next generation of my family taking part in a church service, just as my own children once had. It surprised me when I realised I felt that way too. I’m not Catholic, yet I found everything about the service for Eli’s baptism to be extremely meaningful.
Luckily Eli loves water!
The message the priest delivered calmed me in a way that I haven’t felt in a long time. He suggested that adults might like to consider being more like children. To clarify, he explained that he wasn’t suggesting adults should act in an immature way, but suggested they might like to try viewing the world through the innocent eyes of children.
Arlo and Raiden ~ Eyes of Innocense
The priest’s message made so much sense to me and I believe it is the reason why I felt so calm, listening to him deliver his message. Adult minds are far too cluttered with conflict and problems, especially these days. If you remove the noise of the world from your mind, you are able to view the world as a place of beauty, which is the same way that children see the world.
The priest’s words acted as a poignant reminder for adults to clear their minds, yet it wasn’t in any way a religious message, nor did the priest insist his message be heard. He asked the assembled adults to take from his message what they wished to take, if anything.
What a beautiful way for Eli to begin his spiritual journey. ❤
On a day when far too many people expressed far too many biased opinions on (political) matters which were once regarded as a personal matter, on a biased public forum (social media) which I have considered leaving many times during recent weeks, I will share some photos of realities. This is what is happening In My World.
A drastic change in the weather provided a reprieve from the heat of the last two days. Mount Warning, however, remained in hiding all day. (Perhaps I should have done the same.)
In the distance, I spotted a tree containing many beautiful song birds. When I magnified the photo, I was able to identify the birds as both male and female Figbirds.
I had a visit from four-month-old Eli, who has worked out how to roll over onto his tummy. He was mesmerised by Brontë, and it seemed the feeling was mutual. Brontë was completely besotted with Eli.
When you take away all of the B.S. in the world, isn’t love and caring the most important thing?
A continuing joy to my every day is the visit from my feathered friends.
Deja vu closely followed the thought, “It doesn’t seem that long ago since I last decorated the house for Christmas”. I thought the exactly same thing, whilst decorating the house during December 2013. Where has the year gone?
In May, this tree flowered profusely, to the delight of both myself, and the Rainbow Lorikeets.
And now, it’s the last day of 2014, and as I ponder whether 2014 has been either a good year or bad, I realise that, for me, it has been a year of learning. Everything has happened for a reason. And I haven’t resisted the changes that have occurred, realising that I am in the right place, at the right time, and everything happens just as it should, when it is ready to happen. The way it is meant to be.
I love taking photos in the rain, the moody light adds so much warmth to the photos.
I re-read my first post of this year, remembering, as I have continually remembered throughout 2014, my chosen word for this year ~ “Authentic”.
I have planted a lot of old-fashioned hydrangeas in the garden this year.
We are old friends now, this word and I. At the beginning of the year, I felt their presence constantly. We had to get to know each other; we were virtual strangers, passing each other throughout my life thus far like ships in the night.
Cockatoos visited my garden on the morning of my birthday in May, when my dear friend, Keith, was visiting Australia and staying with me and my family for a few days.
Oh how I had wished to jump on board that ship! My authentically beautiful friend must have known the feelings and longings of my heart, as this year, they did not give up on the hopeless cause of this mere human, filled with faults and uncertainties. No, this year, when the ship of authenticity drew up beside me, and threw out a life-boat, with just a molecule of trepidation, I dragged myself into the calming warmth of their being. And how quickly we noticed the way we could co-exist, half way between my physical life and the true soul of my inner being.
I have decided that Allamandas are the single most photogenic flowers in my garden.
In contemplating a new word for 2015, I feel myself continually pulled toward my Authentic self, not wishing to leave this relatively new friend behind, as I venture into another year on earth. And whilst I know that my Authenticity will continue into tomorrow, and all the other tomorrow’s that in my life I will enjoy, next year will see a progression of my new-found contentment. What that word will be, as yet, I do not know. My word is still searching for me. Authenticity is screening every word that crosses my path, so when my word arrives, I can feel assured that the right extension of this year has found me.
When I added a hanging basket to the back veranda, a Noisy Minor thought the basket insert would be just the thing to add comfort to her nest.
As I cast my mind back over this year, the day before it changes its status to “last year”, my first thoughts are of Tess. Her gentle canine soul has warmed my heart during so many moments this year. I still feel the sting of tears when I remember her physical presence is gone, even though my Black Velvet girl sits beside me as I remember her love and loyalty.
My Begonia sits in a pot on the front veranda, and amazes me every year, as I watch the brown soil shoot new green growth into the world…and further, produce the most brilliant flowers!
I know with every ounce of love in my heart that when my next fury friend is ready to find me, she will. But she isn’t ready to come to me yet, and I believe there is a reason why this is so. This year, in September, my son Adam brought home his girl, Forrest, and whilst I love this baby girl dearly, I know she is not for me. She is a loan-puppy, just the same as Porter and Bella, who moved back home with their “parents” in August. They will be leaving again when their new home is built, and the “family of five”, which includes the gorgeous Sammy cat, will settle into their own little spot of Paradise.
Tess has her own garden now, in a shady area beside the pool. I planted a Fuchsia in Tess’s Garden a few months ago, hoping it would be happy there, and as you can see, it is.
A part of my Authentic year has kept me away from blogging. My Muse completely disappeared for a while there, although for the first time, I have consistently kept a daily diary, the old-fashioned, hand-written kind, recording events of the day, both mundane and significant. A personal record of my year, which I will continue into 2015.
Father & Son ~ The mottled Magpie is one of three baby birds I had the pleasure of hand feeding during this year.
My Muse has pulled up the most comfortable chair right now, and is making themselves feel right at home on my right shoulder, (Tess is to my left,) sharing the words and feelings that have often escaped me during this year. Will they remain? Will 2015 be The Year of The Muse? Only time will tell.
During May, I helped my son, Ben, renovate his investment unit. The Tweed River runs behind the block of units where I found a peaceful and welcome oasis from the chores.
Dear friends, as I feel my way into a New Year, I will share a small verse that I discovered the other day. The words struck a chord of love for me, as in spending the last year being true to myself, my feelings, my thoughts and desires, I have also learned to accept the flaws in myself, as well as in others. Mostly in others. Authenticity has invited acceptance into my world, acceptance of both people and events. Furthermore, a knowing that I create my own happiness, my own contentment, my own world. And so do you.
Another new plant in Tess’s Garden, a sweetly fragranced Gardenia.
This is ME…. I am not perfect I live on the planet Earth where humans live Humans are not perfect Never have been, Never will be So I don’t always wear the right clothes I don’t always use the right shoes My memory sometimes fails me I don’t look like a fashion model I don’t cook like a French chef I don’t always do what people expect of me I am human, I am IMPERFECT But there is no one else like me in this whole wide world I am unique, I am a MIRACLE I am what I am Nothing more, Nothing less So therefore; Love me for what I am Not for what you want me to be! ~Yvve Berglund~
Our pets live their lives true to Authenticity ~ we can learn so much from them, including acceptance. 🙂
I’ve had an idea floating around in the ole grey matter over the weekend, and wondered if it would be possible to change the name of my blog….
I just checked….and I could….it took but a second of time to do so….and I did it, then realised the confusion that could occur when my regular blogging friends dropped by!
Of course, the www. address remains the same, the only way to change that is to forget this blog and start up a new one. I didn’t want to do that though, I have become quite attached to my little place on the World Wide Web, our association goes back many years now, so will remain.
There is a magazine in Australia, called “Country Style”. I love this mag and have been a reader for over twenty years. I subscribe to the magazine….I really love it! However, about three or four years ago, they decided to begin a blog, and called the blog (can anyone guess…..?)…..Homelife!
As lovely as the magazine, the “other” blog, and the name of the other blog are, I have felt a tad overshadowed by this immense media power ever since. This is my tiny (in the perspective of the Web) little blog, mostly set within the realms of my home and garden. I also include nearby towns, and write about holidays I have taken. The posts are written from my personal perspective, are perhaps not always politically correct and certainly do not express the opinions of the multitudes. I am not up to the minute with the latest and greatest in fashion, neither around the home or otherwise, and I do not even have a particular word than even defines my style…..I’m just little old me, sharing my world with friends.
I like the title “In My World”. It’s personal. It’s authentic. It’s My world, and no one else’s. Home life can encompass many a person’s life at home, My World is all about me, and the people, creatures and things I wish to include in my world, just the way it should be.
And, dear blogging friends, you are all a part of my world and I enjoy sharing your world too. 🙂
Now, onwards….2015, here we come. (2015? Wow, I still can’t get over how fast 2014 has gone!)
A week ago today was a very different day to this Saturday. I can’t say that it has been the easiest week I have ever lived through, but I have survived, albeit with a hole in my heart where by beautiful Tess once lived. I simply can’t bring myself to write about the day again. On Sunday last week I added a brief summary of events to my blipfoto journal ~
“And so a new day begins, without our beautiful girl and the house and garden seem so quiet and still….
Josh, a close friend going back to childhood days, of my son Ben, who is now a vet, came to our home and helped Tess to end her suffering. We took her to a place in the garden where she loved to sit, an area of lawn near to the pool, and she lay there quietly as if she knew what was to come.
Josh was a God-send with his gentle voice and manner. Tess’s acceptance of what was to be, and being there with my two sons and husband as Tess gently closed her eyes was a beautiful end to our dear fury girl’s life. Tess now joins our other fury friends, our three other dogs, Sire, Bear and Nellie and our cat, Sunny, in the pet graveyard, in the garden beside the pool.”
The next day, we bought an azalea, and this is what I wrote on blipfoto the following day ~
“The back garden is so big and empty today and the veranda, where Tess’s bed once lay with her on it are both gone. And my mind has gone to mush. Even as I dressed myself this morning, I thought, “the last time I wore these clothes, Tess was still with us”. I know, it’s pathetic, and I have sewing to do for children who start back at school next week. What will the children wear to school if I don’t pull my finger out and get sewing?
I know this mopey feeling will pass. It’s just all so new right now, not having her around…
Yesterday we went looking for a plant to mark her grave and found a very pretty Azalea. Her grave is in a shady area, not far from two frangipani trees, so it will be a very lovely area when the garden there is completed.”
Tess’s Azalea.
I wrote these two passages on the day that they happened and I still ache inside as I re-read the words I wrote. I simply cannot write new words, so I hope you will forgive me for taking the easy road and adding what was already written.
Sweet Grand-Puppy, Bella.
But life goes on….my grand-puppy Bella, a gentle and affectionate Border Collie, has spent some days with me this week. She is a beautiful companion and she has made me laugh so many times. Bella being here has shown me that their is life after Tess, that I can love again.
Already, I know who my next puppy will be and I know her name. I see her face in my mind’s eye. She will find me when the time is right, but that time is not now. I think she will find me in a few months time, after my still-raw wounds of the heart have been given some time to heal.
My word for 2014 is Authentic. I could pretend that I’m feeling just fine, but in keeping with my word, I can’t, I wont pretend. I know that we made the right decision to let Tess sleep, that she is now running around the big field in the sky with her friend Nellie and that we will meet again one day. But it still hurts to lose her. I need time.
I thought I was okay, but my eyes are welling with tears again as I type. I know this will pass, but obviously there are still a few more tears that need to escape my eyes. When I think of all the kind and comforting messages my blogging and blipfoto friends have left me during the last week, again my eyes fill with tears, but tears of a different kind. These tears are those of gratitude for the kindness shown to me by so many people, people who I have mostly never met in person, yet I have been enveloped by hugs of kindness through the internet waves.
In My World 