A Wish for My Daughter

"Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them"

Lady Bird Johnson

This week marks the end of my daughters' years in primary school. She is heading off to high school next. It has been wonderful to watch the emotions that she has experienced in the lead up to this event. Everything from fear and nervousness before her first interview with the school, the happiness and excitement after her orientation day. The more she learnt about her new school, the more knowledge she gained, the more people she met - the more comfortable she has become with the thought of leaving behind what she knew and heading into the future.

On the brink of this new stage of my baby's life, I began to reflect on my hopes for her. So Beautiful Girl it is my wish that you can see yourself as I do and embrace the following beliefs about yourself.

I am perfect exactly as I am

I do not have to prove to anyone or anything who I am

I am a stunning example of feminine strength

I blossom with joy and beauty

I now choose to eliminate from my life and mind every negative, destructive, fearful idea and thought that would keep me from being the magnificent woman I am meant to be

It is safe for me to grow

I now stand on my own two feet and think for myself

I am a blessing to the planet

My future is bright and beautiful

I am a kind-hearted and sensitive soul

Together we lovingly nourish an even more beautiful world

With joy, I recognise my perfection and the perfection of Life

So Little Miss Jess Lyn, I ask that you may take these beliefs with you throughout your life. To take on the challenges that you will encounter with determination, to cherish the friends that you will make, to enjoy the opportunities that come your way, to know that you can and do make a wonderful contribution to the world, to let yourself shine and inspire others and to never forget that you are a special, unique and amazing individual.

I love you, I am blessed to have you in my life and I am proud to be able to call you my daughter. So when you look in the mirror, remember that you may not always hear all the compliments that you sweetly deserve, but you are worthy of all the friendship, treasures, love and joy in the world

A Wish for My Daughter

Time Out

Image by Art4Inspiration

The time to relax is when you don't have the time for it? - Jim Goodwin & Sydney J. Harris

When I got up this morning I had such a list of things "to do", and I was overwhelmed as to where to start and how I was going to achieve anything. I had business stuff, home stuff, mum stuff. It actually proved to be too much and as I said I became overwhelmed.

So what did I do?

I actually took some time out and meditated and dozed and contemplated the reasons why this "stuff" was important. I focused on why I wanted to do it rather than how I was going to achieve it all. So by relaxing my body, mind and spirit the priorities for the day just fell into place and I was able to get a lot more done than when I was running around like a headless chook.

How often to we allow ourselves just to be? Do you schedule in down time in your full diary?

Give yourself permission to take some time out with no distractions and find your inner calm, take a quick nap or just do nothing. You will find that then you will become a lot more productive, more present and accomplish a great deal more.

You might also want to think about "What is time?"

Does time exist?
Is it real?
Does that big old oak tree in the backyard know the time?
What about the ocean?
Who created time?
Who said "You are late?"
Why is it three o'clock

In nature and the universe, there is a time for everything - it is always the best time, the right time, the ideal time. You are never too late . . .and always on time. Does energy or light worry over the time it takes to do things? Or does it just get on with doing its thing at its own pace?

Have you ever been in the first throngs of new love? What happened to time then? It wasn't a factor, it didn't exist at all because time isn't a factor in love. Time can disappear also when you are caught up doing something that you enjoy, this can be hobbies, career, mental or something more intimate. Then time goes by without our realizing it. As compared to when we are waiting to meet our loved ones, or go into that interview or catch a cab to meet that plane - then every second seems like an eternity. This is because time is an energy that can be controlled, it has no physical limitations or meanings, except the ones that you put on it.

Why not just do as Rumi suggests and "come out of the circle of time and into the circle of love." Love for others, love of self, love for life, and just see what could happen.

Time Out

JOY

I am so lucky to always have Joy in my life. She is my step-mother and is a Joy by nature as well as name. So it is a running family joke that our family occasions always includes Joy.

Yet it is important that we not take Joy for granted. How do you find Joy in your life? That blissful, peaceful happiness that too often comes at a high price. When we learn the lesson of mortality and suddenly what seemed to be important you realise isn't. Things that used to annoy you, don't seem to be significant. You learn that what is really important are the people who you love and who love you.

Imagine that your time is limited, because it is!! Then every moment will become precious. When you step outside appreciate the flowers as it may be the last flower that you see. Time then becomes a gift instead of something to race against or kill or a burden. You can choose to spend it with the people you love doing things that bring you Joy instead of doing things that are meaningless. You can wear what ever you like and not be concerned what others may think. When you live in the now even the weather becomes fascinating rather than a problem. That frost covered windscreen turns into one of mother nature's awesome works of art instead of a nuisance.

Take Joy and pleasure from what lies around you, be in awe of the beauty in the world. Really consider the quote by Dr Bernie Seigel "Seeing something for the last time is almost as good as the first." Pretend that you are an alien every morning and see the world as if you were seeing it for the first time. or just go back to childhood and allow yourself to experience that child-like wonder where even a leaf or a worm can be a pleasure to behold.

Today I ask that you bask in the beauty and the variety in the world before you and discover all the places that you too can find Joy and Love in your personal world.

JOY