Willie Nelson - It Gets Easier (Official Video)

It gets easier, as we get older
It gets easier to say "not today"
And it gets easier, as we get older
To say "go away and not today"

I don't have to do
One damn thing
That I don't want to do
Except for missing you
And that won't go away

It gets easier to say "some other time"
It gets easier to tell the world to wait
And it gets easier to watch the world fly by
And tell it, "I will catch up, but not today"

I don't have to do
One damn thing
That I don't want to do
Except for missing you
And that won't go away
Except for missing you
And that won't go away

James Taylor - Fire And Rain (One Man Band, July 2007)

Sunday Sermon

Psalm 143:8

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. 

In this life Lyrics

Album: N Dis Life

http://www.kamakawiwo.net/ 

For all ive been blessed with in my life

there was an emptyness in me

i was imprisoned by the power of gold

with one kind touch you sent me free

let the world stop turning

let the sun stop burning

let them tell me love is not worth goin through

if it all falls apart

i will no deep in my heart

the only dream that mattered had come true

in this life i was loved by you

for every mountain i have climbed

every raging river crossed

you were the treasure that i longed to find

without your love i would be lost

let the world stop turning

let the sun stop burning

let them tell me love is not worth goin through

if it falls apart

i will know deep in my heart

the only dream that mattered had come true

in this life i was loved by you

i kno that i will live forever

but forever ill be loving you

let the world stop turning

let the sun stop burning

tell me loves not going through

if it all falls apart i will know deep in my heart

the only dream that mattered had come true

in this life i was loved by you

A Broken Heart

A Broken Heart

It’s difficult to strike a balance between the act of grieving and your total lack of control over it.

Living with a broken heart makes it hard to have the will to continue living life and making plans.

When you’re grieving, there’s an array of thoughts and emotions you continue to face that are somehow invisible and unfamiliar to everyone else.

The only people who can understand this are those who have lost a piece of their heart.

After someone you love dies, it feels like everything you say and do is foreign to the outside world. It’s like carrying this invisible, massive boulder, cradling it between both your arms, trying hard not to drop it…praying that at any second, it won’t fall and smash your feet.

How do you explain to people, who have no idea what you’re experiencing, that it’s been several months and you’re still crying yourself to sleep? That you’re always sad? How do you show them what you had to witness with your own eyes, or explain to them why you still just want the person you love to come back?

Well…you can’t.

When someone you love dies, it’s not just their death that you struggle with, it’s also the regret of all the things said and done during the time in which they were still alive. And it’s in all the things you can’t say or do now that they’re gone.

Here’s the thing.....it’s not just about the last interaction you had with someone, it’s about all of it: the birthdays, the holidays, the hugs, the talks, the trips together.

It’s about the lifetime of good memories.

When someone you love is taken from you suddenly, your brain has a way of doing whatever it does when you experience a traumatic event, it holds onto it tight and constantly floods you with thoughts of it.

The unfortunate truth is that you’re susceptible to grief, because you’re able to love. The risk of love is loss…and the price of loss is grief.

Living with a broken heart means learning to accept the fact that every day is just another day without your loved one in it…and that will never change.

The problem with having a broken heart….is nobody can see it.

Gary Sturgis - “Surviving Grief”

Borrowed from The Soul Journey with Sarah Moussa on Facebook

I wish I had visited. I wish I had told you I love you. Regret is a horrible thing. RIP Brenda, I love you.

THOSE WHO WAIT…

THOSE WHO WAIT…

If each of us knew how much time we had allocated,

perhaps we could play around with it.

But we don’t.

Believing tomorrow to be a guarantee,

is the biggest mistake we make.

Not seizing every day like the gift that it is,

is the biggest risk we take.

Waste time wisely my friend.

Time spent in rest, joy, company and kindness,

is never wasted.

As for the rest, just do it.

You won’t regret the things you tried and failed at,

but you will regret a life spent waiting.

Waiting for anything is a dangerous game because there is no guarantee the conditions will ever be just right.

Those who wait, wait..

but you,

you have a life to live.

Right here, right now.

Donna Ashworth

From ‘I Wish I Knew’

Art by Lisa Aisato

Nothing Else Matters - Metallica (acapella) VoicePlay Ft J.NONE

Virginia Woolf

Happy Heavenly Birthday Virginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf: Quotes

A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.

I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman.

It is the nature of the artist to mind excessively what is said about him. Literature is strewn with the wreckage of men who have minded beyond reason the opinions of others.

Every secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind is written large in his works.

Nothing has really happened until it has been recorded.

It is worth mentioning, for future reference, that the creative power which bubbles so pleasantly in beginning a new book quiets down after a time, and one goes on more steadily. Doubts creep in. Then one becomes resigned. Determination not to give in, and the sense of an impending shape keep one at it more than anything.

If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people.

A biography is considered complete if it merely accounts for six or seven selves, whereas a person may well have as many as a thousand.

Fiction is like a spider’s web, attached ever so slightly perhaps, but still attached to life at all four corners. Often the attachment is scarcely perceptible.

The poet gives us his essence, but prose takes the mould of the body and mind.

I am made and remade continually. Different people draw different words from me.

I meant to write about death, only life came breaking in as usual.

Quote list found here: https://www.writerswrite.co.za/literary-birthday-25-january-virginia-woolf/ 

 

Winter

 

Plants and animals don’t fight the winter; they don’t pretend it’s not happening and attempt to carry on living the same lives that they lived in the summer. They prepare. They adapt. They perform extraordinary acts of metamorphosis to get them through. Winter is a time of withdrawing from the world, maximising scant resources, carrying out acts of brutal efficiency and vanishing from sight; but that’s where the transformation occurs. Winter is not the death of the life cycle, but its crucible.

~ Katherine May: Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times

(With thanks to the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids)

[Art: Anna Speshilova]

The Cosmic Dancer on Facebook

25K

BEGINNING TODAY

BEGINNING TODAY

Beginning today, I will no longer worry about yesterday.

It is in the past and the past will never change.

Only I can change by choosing to do so.

Beginning today, I will no longer worry about tomorrow.

Tomorrow will always be there, waiting for me to make the most of it. But I cannot make the most of tomorrow without first making the most of today.

Beginning today, I will look in the mirror and I will see a person worthy of my respect and admiration.

This capable person looking back at me is someone I enjoy spending time with and someone I would like to get to know better.

Beginning today, I will cherish each moment of my life.

I value this gift bestowed upon me in this world and I will unselfishly share this gift with others.

I will use this gift to enhance the lives of others.

Beginning today, I will take a moment to step off the beaten path and to revel in the mysteries I encounter.

I will face challenges with courage and determination.

I will overcome what barriers there may be which hinder my quest for growth and self-improvement.

Beginning today, I will take life one day at a time, one step at a time.

Discouragement will not be allowed to taint my positive self-image, my desire to succeed or my capacity to love.

Beginning today, I walk with renewed faith in human kindness.

Regardless of what has gone before, I believe there is hope for a brighter and better future.

Beginning today, I will open my mind and my heart.

I will welcome new experiences. I will meet new people.

I will not expect perfection from myself nor anyone else: perfection does not exist in an imperfect world.

But I will applaud the attempt to overcome human foibles.

Beginning today, I am responsible for my own happiness and I will do things that make me happy . . .

admire the beautiful wonders of nature, listen to my favourite music, pet a kitten or a puppy, soak in a bubble bath . . .

Pleasure can be found in the most simple of gestures.

Beginning today, I will learn something new; I will try something different; I will savour all the various flavors life has to offer me. I will change what I can and the rest I will let go.

I will strive to become the best me I can possibly be.

Beginning today.

And every day.

Author-Penny White

UniverSoul Women Of Wisdom on Facebook

Anne Wilson - Sunday Sermons (Official Music Video)

I Love Your Shoes

Donna Ashworth posted this on her Facebook page January 16, 2023 since she now has over a million followers. It is a very warm and touching entry. She even makes a simple thank you special and her words are always valuable and touching. I am not surprised she has over a million followers.

THANKS (A MILLION!)

Well, today I passed one million followers on this page.

I have been thinking of what I want to say, to mark this moment in time. 

And here it is:

Thank you…

I say it every day, to so many of you.

And for the most part it may sound robotic perhaps, throwaway, especially in response to some of the wonderful statements you send my way. 

But this is what I actually mean when I say ‘thank you’…

Thank you, for connecting with me, ever so briefly but ever so profoundly. 

Thank you, for reaching across oceans and miles to metaphorically look me in the eye and say, ‘this meant something’.

Thank you, for proving to me, over and over, that I am never alone.

Thank you, for taking time in your incredibly busy life, to make a difference to my day (and it does).

Thank you, for being the reason I enjoy writing so much, and for being the ‘eyes’ my words were seeking.

Thank you, for making me an author, for building me a career I had no idea I wanted.

Because make no mistake, my friends…without you, daily-reading, seeing value-in, and sharing my words, my books would not exist.

And the way you sprinkle the world with support, encouragement, authenticity, and kindness, drives me on.

So, thank you.

An over-used word perhaps, but such a very important one.

Because a simple ‘thank you’, can contain so much unseen love, appreciation and connection.

Thank you all.

Donna

You are here!

 

Believe

 

It's madness to hate...

It's madness to hate
all roses because you got
scratched with one thorn,

to give up all dreams
because one of them
didn't come true,

to give up all attempts
because one of them failed.

It's folly to condemn
all your friends
because one has betrayed
you,

to no longer believe in love
just because someone
was unfaithful
or didn't love you back,

to throw away
all your chances to be happy
because something went wrong.

There will always
be another opportunity,
another friend,
another love,
a new strength.

For every end,
there is always
a new beginning.

And now here is my secret,
a very simple secret:
It is only with the heart
that one can see rightly;
what is essential,
is invisible to the eye.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The Little Prince Excerpts, 1943
Poet's Corner / Esquina Poetica on Facebook

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

Borrowed from Facebook  

Wintering

 

The River | Brian Doerksen | Official Lyric Video

Sunday Sermon

God is in charge no matter who thinks they are in control. 

Today...

Today...I wish you a day of ordinary miracles -- A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make yourself. An unexpected phone call from an old friend. Green stoplights on your way to work or shop. I wish you a day of little things to rejoice in... The fastest line at the grocery store. A good sing along song on the radio. Your keys right where you look.

I wish you a day of happiness and perfection -- little bite-size pieces of perfection that give you the funny feeling that the Lord is smiling on you, holding you so gently because you are someone special and rare.

I wish You a day of Peace, Happiness and Joy. They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them.

Author Unknown

This is Life!

This is Charlie Chaplin at age 26, photographed 100 years ago. It’s believed he wrote the poem below at age 70. He pretty much said it all with this one...

As I began to love myself

I found that anguish and emotional suffering

are only warning signs that I was living

against my own truth.

Today, I know, this is Authenticity.

As I began to love myself

I understood how much it can offend somebody

if I try to force my desires on this person,

even though I knew the time was not right

and the person was not ready for it,

and even though this person was me.

Today I call this Respect.

As I began to love myself

I stopped craving for a different life,

and I could see that everything

that surrounded me

was inviting me to grow.

Today I call this Maturity.

As I began to love myself

I understood that at any circumstance,

I am in the right place at the right time,

and everything happens at the exactly right moment.

So I could be calm.

Today I call this Self-Confidence.

As I began to love myself

I quit stealing my own time,

and I stopped designing huge projects

for the future.

Today, I only do what brings me joy and happiness,

things I love to do and that make my heart cheer,

and I do them in my own way

and in my own rhythm.

Today I call this Simplicity.

As I began to love myself

I freed myself of anything

that is no good for my health –

food, people, things, situations,

and everything that drew me down

and away from myself.

At first I called this attitude a healthy egoism.

Today I know it is Love of Oneself.

As I began to love myself

I quit trying to always be right,

and ever since

I was wrong less of the time.

Today I discovered that is Modesty.

As I began to love myself

I refused to go on living in the past

and worrying about the future.

Now, I only live for the moment,

where everything is happening.

Today I live each day,

day by day,

and I call it Fulfillment.

As I began to love myself

I recognized

that my mind can disturb me

and it can make me sick.

But as I connected it to my heart,

my mind became a valuable ally.

Today I call this connection Wisdom of the Heart.

We no longer need to fear arguments,

confrontations or any kind of problems

with ourselves or others.

Even stars collide,

and out of their crashing, new worlds are born.

Today I know: This is Life!

Found on Facebook

 

Magic exists.

 

“Magic exists. Who can doubt it, when there are rainbows and wildflowers, the music of the wind and the silence of the stars?

Anyone who has loved has been touched by magic. It is such a simple and such an extraordinary part of the lives we live.” 

~ Nora Roberts

Post by Esoteric Eye on Facebook

The Velveteen Rabbit, 1923

 

You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand. 

Margery Williams - The Velveteen Rabbit, 1923

From Ravenous Butterflies on Facebook

what if...

 

January

For many, January is a hard, cold month…

When everyone is setting new goals, laying down righteous ground rules and striving to become a better version of themselves, some of us are fighting to find ourselves each day...

You see, December is a month of giving, and some of us, come January, are completely and utterly spent.

A month of remembering everyone, and remembering absolutely everything. 

A month of including everyone and of reaching out to each and every person we have ever known.

A month of reaching breaking point every day trying to have fun, to be the ultimate hostess, to be the perfect guest.

A month of stretching ourselves financially, emotionally and of letting our boundaries be breached by many... in the spirit of the season.

And then January hits and bam... before we can even begin the arduous task of clearing away the festivities, we are expected to jump on the ‘new year, new you’ bandwagon and transform ourselves entirely.

For some of us this is just too much.

January is the darkest and most depressing month of the year and for many sensitive souls, the barrage of ‘advice’ on how we ‘should’ be living, is just too much.

So perhaps this is a safe place to say that maybe it’s okay to take a week or two to recover and to just be kind to ourselves before demanding better.

And for those of us who really do fall low in the darkest month of the year. For those of us who have given too much and to whom the future looks bleak - perhaps this is the right place to say -  you are absolutely fine the way you are. Just stay.

Take some time to breathe.

Take some time to not think about anything much at all except breathing in and breathing out.

Take some time to build back up, not tear your yourself down.

For many, this month is a mountain that looks unclimbable.

Be kind, my friends. Always.

Donna Ashworth on Facebook

https://amzn.eu/d/9Y6E6kz

Art by @jenniferelson

 

Sunday Sermon

The Peace of Heaven by Dana Howard is a ministry to encourage through scripture and prayers. I found her daily posts on Facebook several years ago and follow her still. 

"Moon Dancer" by Cherokee flute player Mark Hicks

And Then It’s Winter

AND THEN IT IS WINTER

You know. . . time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years.

It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams. But, here it is... the winter of my life and it catches me by surprise...How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go?

I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like. But, here it is...my friends are retired and getting grey...they move slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some worse shape than me...but, I see the great change....Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant...but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd be.

Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! And taking a nap is not a treat anymore... it's mandatory! Cause if I don't on my own free will... I just fall asleep where I sit!

And so...now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!

But, at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I'm not sure how long it will last...this I know, that when it's over on this earth...it's NOT over. A new adventure will begin!

Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done...things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have done. It's all in a lifetime.

So, if you're not in your winter yet...let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly! Don't put things off too long!

Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not! You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life...so, live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember...and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!

"Life" is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. Make it a fantastic one.

LIVE IT WELL! ENJOY TODAY! DO SOMETHING FUN! BE HAPPY! HAVE A GREAT DAY!

REMEMBER:....

"It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.

"LIVE HAPPY IN THIS YEAR AND EVERY YEAR!

LASTLY, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:

TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU'VE EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU'LL EVER BE SO - ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS.

~Your kids are becoming you.......

~Going out is good.. Coming home is better!

~You forget names.... But it's OK because other people forgot they even knew you!!!

~You realize you're never going to be really good at anything

~The things you used to care to do, you no longer care to do, but you really do care that you don't care to do them anymore.

~You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring than in bed. It's called "pre-sleep".

~You miss the days when everything worked with just an "ON" and "OFF" switch..

~You tend to use more 4 letter words ... "what?"..."when?"... "what?" . ???

~Now that you can afford expensive jewelry, it's not safe to wear it anywhere.

~You notice everything they sell in stores is "sleeveless"?!!!

~What used to be freckles are now liver spots.

~Everybody whispers.

~You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet.... 2 of which you will never wear.

~But Old is good in some things: Old Songs, Old movies, and best of all, OLD FRIENDS!!

Stay well, "OLD FRIEND!" Send this on to other "Old Friends!" and let them laugh in AGREEMENT!!!

It's Not What You Gather, But What You Scatter That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived.

This was found on Facebook

give something away

 

Dear Life

Dear life,

Grant me the courage

To change what I am capable of changing

And the grace

To accept what is beyond my control

And choose my battles wisely.

Please help me to fix what has fallen apart and is broken in my life

That would benefit from being mended

And accept what would not

And move on accordingly.

Grant me the strength

To fully seize each day

And make the most of each moment

Savouring the ones that provide me with joy, meaning and fulfilment

And remind me to treasure time spent with those I love

And pursue my passions and what uplifts and energises me

And focus on all that lies ahead of me

Rather than all that lies behind me.

Please help me to embody love

And radiate it to all whom I encounter

Regardless of whether they remain in my life

Or are no longer with me.

Please help me to remain calm and at peace

During the chaos and shifting seasons of life

And flow with it

Understanding that everything is fleeting and temporary

But that the true nature of who I am is eternal

And more than this limited body

And transitory physical experience

Please show me how to let go of fear, pain and resentment

So I can feel light, unburdened and free

And prioritise what is important

While disregarding what is not.

Please comfort me in my grief

And reassure me with the knowledge

That I will one day be reunited with those I love who have left this reality

But remain in spirit with me

And in the times when I am hurt

May you show me how to heal and move forward

In the times when I feel small and fragile

May you remind me of my inner strength

In the times when I feel weak

May you remind me of my inner power

In the times when I feel lost

May you help me rediscover purpose and meaning

In the times when I feel lonely and isolated

May you remind me that everything is interconnected

And in the times when I have lost confidence and trust in myself

May you help me remember who I am.

Words by Tahlia Hunter

(Inspired by the Serenity Prayer by Dr Reinhold Niebuhr)

Artwork by Elaine Bayley Illustrations

Borrow from The Soul Journey with Sarah Moussa on Facebook

BEGINNING TODAY

Beginning today, I will no longer worry about yesterday.

It is in the past and the past will never change.

Only I can change by choosing to do so.

Beginning today, I will no longer worry about tomorrow.

Tomorrow will always be there, waiting for me to make the most of it. But I cannot make the most of tomorrow without first making the most of today.

Beginning today, I will look in the mirror and I will see a person worthy of my respect and admiration.

This capable person looking back at me is someone I enjoy spending time with and someone I would like to get to know better.

Beginning today, I will cherish each moment of my life.

I value this gift bestowed upon me in this world and I will unselfishly share this gift with others.

I will use this gift to enhance the lives of others.

Beginning today, I will take a moment to step off the beaten path and to revel in the mysteries I encounter.

I will face challenges with courage and determination.

I will overcome what barriers there may be which hinder my quest for growth and self-improvement.

Beginning today, I will take life one day at a time, one step at a time.

Discouragement will not be allowed to taint my positive self-image, my desire to succeed or my capacity to love.

Beginning today, I walk with renewed faith in human kindness.

Regardless of what has gone before, I believe there is hope for a brighter and better future.

Beginning today, I will open my mind and my heart.

I will welcome new experiences. I will meet new people.

I will not expect perfection from myself nor anyone else: perfection does not exist in an imperfect world.

But I will applaud the attempt to overcome human foibles.

Beginning today, I am responsible for my own happiness and I will do things that make me happy . . .

admire the beautiful wonders of nature, listen to my favourite music, pet a kitten or a puppy, soak in a bubble bath . . .

Pleasure can be found in the most simple of gestures.

Beginning today, I will learn something new; I will try something different; I will savour all the various flavors life has to offer me. I will change what I can and the rest I will let go.

I will strive to become the best me I can possibly be.

Beginning today.

And every day.”

Author-Penny White

Borrowed from UniverSoul Women Of Wisdom on Facebook