Hank Williams - I Saw The Light

 

Where Roots Grow

 

There was a time I thought I was sinking. I felt heavy and lost in the dark waters of life, as if nothing in me was moving and nothing in me would ever bloom.

What I could not see at the time was that this is where our roots begin, in the quiet, unseen places where light feels far away and everything asks you to trust what you cannot yet see.

What I discovered was that the mud that held me in place was actually shaping me; it asked me to be still long enough to remember who I am, and in that stillness, something within me began to shift, slowly, gently, like a soft rising, a breath finding its way back to the surface.

And when I finally broke through, I could feel the change within me, open and alive, and like the lotus, I bloomed because of the very darkness that once held me.

Where Roots Grow

Art & Heart Musings By Sophia Love Storey

Source: Sophia Storey on Facebook

Native Flute Harmony

 

Four Native American Indian Spirituality Laws

 

There are four Native American Indian Spirituality Laws that say nothing happens for no reason in life. When you do understand this, it's very easy to handle and you confidently look at what's happening, thankful for what was there and happy for what's going to happen.

The 1st law says:

′′The person you meet is the right one.′′

That is, no one comes into our lives by accident, all the people around us who interact with us, stand for something, either to educate us or to help us in our situation.

The 2nd law says:

′′What happens is the only thing that can happen.′′

Nothing but absolutely nothing of what happens to us could have been different. Not even the most insignificant detail. There just isn't ′′ If I had done it differently... It would have been different..." No, what happens is the only thing that can happen and needs to happen, so we can learn our lessons to get ahead. Everything, yes, every situation that happens to us in life is absolutely perfect, even when our spirit resists our ego and doesn't want to accept it.

The 3rd law says:

′′Every moment when something starts is the right time.′′

Everything starts at the right time, not sooner or later. When we are ready for something new in our life, it's already there to begin with.

The 4th law says:

′′What's over is over.′′

It's that simple. When something ends in our life, it serves our development. That's why it's better to let go and move forward, bestowed on the experiences that have now been gained.

I don't think it's a coincidence that you're reading this here. If this text meets you today, it's because you meet the conditions and understand that no rain drop anywhere in the world accidentally falls in the wrong place.

Let it go well...

Love with your whole being...

Being happy without end...

Every day is a happy day.

I Am.

You Are.

We Are.

Oneness ..

Unknown

Art by Betty Albert

Source: Seredipity Corner on Facebook

Words to Remember

 

In every difficult situation there will be two things that endure.

Grief and love.

Darkness and light.

Despair and hope.

They will oppose each other in a seemingly constant battle to come out on top, and where one will be gentle and quiet, the other will be loud and rough.

But remember that when you feel overwhelmed by grief

or swallowed by darkness

or swamped by despair...

they do not define you.

Because their opposites are enduring too.

The love is persevering,

the light is growing and

the hope is holding on.

No, you are not the darkness and despair that threaten to break you.

You are the love and the light and the hope.

And just as the spring returns after winter and the night gives way to day, you can rest, you can rise and you can shine again.

And you will. In your own time.

Yes, you will endure.

And you will make it through.

*****

Becky Hemsley 2024

Artwork by Oliver Flores

This poem is from, Words to Remember

Source: Becky Hemsley Poetry on Facebook

A dozen Johann Wolfgang von Goethe quotes

 

1. One should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.

2. If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain how he is. But if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.

3. As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.

4. If I love you, what business is it of yours?

5. No one is willing to believe that adults too, like children, wander about this earth in a daze and, like children, do not know where they come from or where they are going, act as rarely as they do according to genuine motives, and are as thoroughly governed as they are by biscuits and cake and the rod.

6. This is the true measure of love: when we believe that we alone can love, that no one could ever have loved so before us, and that no one will ever love in the same way after us.

7. When scholars study a thing, they strive to kill it first, if it's alive; then they have the parts and they've lost the whole, for the link that's missing was the living soul.

8. If any man wish to write in a clear style, let him be first clear in his thoughts; and if any would write in a noble style, let him first possess a noble soul.

9. Nothing is worth more than this day. You cannot relive yesterday. Tomorrow is still beyond your reach.

10. A person who does not know the history of the last 3,000 years wanders in the darkness of ignorance, unable to make sense of the reality around him.

11.Anything you can do, or dream you do, begin it: boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.

12. In the realm of ideas, everything depends on enthusiasm. ... In the real world, all rests on perseverance.

~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Silver Linings

 

When the ocean waves engulf you

And there’s water all around

And when you feel you’re in so deep

You might as well swim down

When the forest’s looming darkly

And you can’t see your way through

When the trees are overbearing

And they’re closing in on you

When every path is dangerous

And treacherous to tread

And you decide to stop

And stay forever lost instead

Well…

I hope the sea is sapphires

That buoy you with their blue

I hope they shine a little

Of their precious light on you

I hope the forest prides itself

On all its emerald leaves

And helps you see your brilliance

Through the darkness of the trees

I hope your paths are gilded

And are lined with golden hues

Where ruby roses grow through grass

That shines with diamond dew

I hope you feel the sunshine

And the warmth that it possesses

I hope you see the way the clouds

Are shining at their edges

‘Cause there’s richness in the darkness,

When you’re lost, beneath the surface

There’s treasure waiting for you

And I promise you it’s worth it

So don’t give up or in

‘Cause pressure builds a precious stone

You’ve everything you need

And you are stronger than you know

So please keep going up and through

Keep walking, swimming, climbing

And keep on searching clouds for silver

Sewn into their linings

******

Becky Hemsley 2023

Artwork by Nancy Quiaoit

'Silver Linings' is from Letters from Life

Source: Becky Hemsley Poetry on Facebook

Break Every Chain (ft. Jason Clayborn & The Atmosphere Changers) | Northeast Worship

 

Your soul is ageless

 

You may notice all your wrinkles,

And count each grey hair as it appears,

But your soul is always ageless,

In spite of all your years.

Look deep inside yourself,

And what you'll find is youth,

Always present in your essence,

Forever young in heart and truth.

A cruel and confusing contradiction,

is, that what we see inside the mirror,

Isn't how we view ourselves,

Our perception is something clearer.

Beneath the shell, forever young,

There's a sparkle in our eyes

That reflects the fountain of youthfulness

That we always carry deep inside ..

By: C.E. Coombes.

Art: Jimmy Lawlor

Source: Serendipity Corner on Facebook

Home ~ Edgar Albert Guest

 

The road to laughter beckons me,
The road to all that's best;
The home road where I nightly see
The castle of my rest;
The path where all is fine and fair,
And little children run,
For love and joy are waiting there
As soon as day is done.

There is no rich reward of fame
That can compare with this:
At home I wear an honest name,
My lips are fit to kiss.
At home I'm always brave and strong,
And with the setting sun
They find no trace of shame or wrong
In anything I've done.

There shine the eyes that only see
The good I've tried to do;
They think me what I'd like to be;
They know that I am true.
And whether I have lost my fight
Or whether I have won,
I find a faith that I've been right
As soon as day is done.

Edgar Albert Guest

ai art by me

Regrets

 

There are moments in life,

We wish we could change,

But we cannot go back

Time, we cannot rearrange.

Regrets are pointless

They only cause pain

We need to accept the past

And just start again .

There were lessons in the days

When nothing went right

We should not chastise ourselves

For not seeing the light.

There's an order to life

The journey is immense

And one day you will understand

And it will all make sense.

So forgive yourself now

For what you didn't know before

It was designed this way

You couldn't have done any more..

C.E. Coombes

Art via Pinterest

Source: Serendipity Corner on Facebook

Clutter and Junk

Source: Spatial Awareness Home on Facebook

This one hit me hard when I finally saw it.

If you struggle to let go of things you spent money on -like, things you KNOW you’re not using- I want you to know: this is one of the most common psychological phenomenons related to clutter. It’s called “the sunk cost fallacy”

This is when our brains trick us into keeping items because letting go feels painful:

Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky discovered that losses feel about twice as painful as gains feel good.

…So when you declutter something expensive, your brain treats it like a fresh loss.

Even though nothing *new* is happening, the sting makes you want to avoid getting rid of it 

And here’s what I learned after years of struggling with this:

A lot of it has to do with feeling like you made a mistake.

“I shouldn’t have bought that”

“I wasted money”

These voices of shame only serve to keep you stuck in a cluttered home.

The bottom line?

My ability to declutter *and actually KEEP my house decluttered* is directly connected to my ability to admit a mistake and move on from it.

The money is already gone. Keeping the item doesn’t bring it back. All it does is add to your mental load, take up space in your home, and remind you of the mistake every single time you see it.

The moment I gave myself permission to say “that was a mistake, and I’m allowed to move on” …I became unstoppable.

I started decluttering faster, and making clearer decisions. I learned to stop the guilt spiral in its tracks.

I give myself grace for impulse purchases and for the phase I was in when I bought it…for not knowing it wouldn’t work for me.

And then I let it go.

And honestly, that grace extended into other areas of my life too. Turns out, letting go is a life skill, and it gets easier the more you practice it.

Source: Spatial Awareness Home on Facebook

Any advice to give

 

One time I met a man

Who only had a month to live

And I asked him if he had

Any advice that he could give

He said “I wake each morning

Knowing I am going to die

So each day must remind me

I am blessed to be alive

You see, my life’s on countdown

As each hour is unfurled

I know the clock is ticking

On my time here in this world

But what you’re overlooking

Is that it’s the same for you -

You know that I am dying

But forget that you are too

So make the most of sunshine

And go dancing in the rain

And sing a little louder

When your favourite music plays

Notice nature’s colours,

Savour everything you taste

Stop waiting for tomorrow

‘Cause you’ve got no time to waste

And could you say convincingly

That you’d have no regrets?

If just the next few days or weeks

Were all that you had left?”

And then my breath caught quickly

When he turned to me and asked

“Could you say that you died happy

If this day had been your last?”

*****

Becky Hemsley 2023

Artwork by Sebastian Bauer Art

This poem is from Letters from Life

Source: Becky Hemsley Poetry on Facebook

Don’t put the key in someone else’s pocket

 

As you walk the road of life

You’ll find it lined with doors

Some that look familiar,

Some you’ve never seen before

One will lead to nowhere

Whilst another leads to growth

One will lead to happiness,

To healing and to hope

Some will lead to sorrow,

Some to roads of discontent

One might lead you to the life

Of which you’ve always dreamt

And as you keep on walking,

You’ll meet people on the way

Some who’ll walk for miles with you

And some who cannot stay

And all along, you’ll have a key

Ornate and rough and old

And there’ll be times you’ll think

It’s meant for someone else to hold

But this key knows your story

One that they don’t truly know

And they won’t understand the way

It must be turned just so

They won’t hear it whispering

The way you often do

And they won’t know by heart

Each little dent and rusted groove

So though it may be tempting,

When life feels a little hard,

Don’t hand over your key to them:

It isn’t theirs to guard

Because one day you’ll find yourself

Standing before a door

That might just lead to all the things

That you’ve been hoping for

But only you can turn that key

To realise what’s behind it

The happiness you’re seeking

Waits for you to come and find it

So trust that you’re enough,

Believe in all that you can do

Remember you have everything

You need inside of you

And when you reach that door

To happiness, you can unlock it

Just as long as you don’t put the key

In someone else’s pocket

*****

Becky Hemsley 2024

This is from her collection, Words to Remember

Source: Becky Hemsley Poetry on Facebook

Artwork: The Doors of Dublin - Public Domain

Tyler Childers‬ + Del McCoury + ‪Ricky Skaggs – Old Country Church LIVE

 

Colour My World - Chicago - Vocals by Terry Kath

 

Things Work Out ~ Edgar Albert Guest

 

Things Work Out

Because it rains when we wish it wouldn't,
Because men do what they often shouldn't,
Because crops fail, and plans go wrong-
Some of us grumble all day long.
But somehow, in spite of the care and doubt,
It seems at last that things work out.

Because we lose where we hoped to gain,
Because we suffer a little pain,
Because we must work when we'd like to play-
Some of us whimper along life's way.
But somehow, as day always follows the night,
Most of our troubles work out all right.

Because we cannot forever smile,
Because we must trudge in the dust awhile,
Because we think that the way is long-
Some of us whimper that life's all wrong.
But somehow we live and our sky grows bright,
And everything seems to work out all right.

So bend to your trouble and meet your care,
For the clouds must break, and the sky grow fair.
Let the rain come down, as it must and will,
But keep on working and hoping still.
For in spite of the grumblers who stand about,
Somehow, it seems, all things work out.

by Edgar Albert Guest

ai art by me

Gone Fishing ~ Chris Rea

 

I'm gone fishing
I got me a line
Nothing I do is gonna make the difference
So I'm taking the time

And you ain't never gonna be happy
Anyhow, anyway
So I'm gone fishing
And I'm going today

I'm gone fishing
Sounds crazy I know
I know nothing about fishing
But just watch me go

And when my time has come
I will look back and see
Peace on the shoreline
That could have been me

You can waste a whole lifetime
Trying to be
What you think is expected of you
But you'll never be free

May as well go fishing

Ode 314

Ode 314   

Those who don't feel this 

Love pulling them like a river,   

those who don't drink dawn 

like a cup of spring water 

or take in sunset like supper, 

those who don't want to change, 

let them sleep.

~ Rumi

ai art by me

Acceptance

 

Acceptance holds great power,

A key to setting free,

No longer tethered by the chains

Of what we cannot see.

In life, we each must navigate

The paths that twist and bend,

Understanding that to fight the flow

Is not the means to an end.

No one owns another soul,

And only the moon controls the tide,

So to question what fate has drawn

Simply leads to damaged pride.

Acceptance is not losing hope,

It’s wisdom born of grace,

Embracing all that life presents

Within our sacred space..

C.E. Coombes

Art by Olamik

Source: Serendipity Corner on Facebook

'Just'

 

'Just' implies it's little

'Just' implies it's small

'Just' suggests it's really

Nothing very much at all

Just a joke, just one bad day

And just a drop of rain

"It's just a cut, a tiny scratch

So why are you in pain?"

"It's just a little game"

And "can you talk for just a minute?"

But 'just' can be the thing

That pushes something to its limit

'Cause drops of rain are more than 'just'

When there are millions more

When every drop keeps inching water

Closer to your door

A cut is always more than 'just'

When you're already bleeding;

When every scratch reminds you

That you're further now from healing

A minute's never just a minute

When you're running late

And when expecting news

But all that you can do is wait

It's not just one bad day

When it has been a month or two

And it's not just a joke

When you find out the joke's on you

'Cause 'just' sounds oh-so-little

So it often serves to shrink,

To lessen what we feel,

What we experience and think

But if we're not familiar

With another person's feelings;

If we can't say for sure

If they are hurting or they're healing

If we don't know the nature

Of the things that have drawn blood

If we assume they're swimming

Whilst they're drowning in the flood

If we do not know how much time

Somebody else has got

Or how deep all their wounds might run

From all the things they've lost

It might be wise to listen

Whilst they're crying through the rain

And not dismiss their bleeding

When they're talking through their pain

And it might be wise to recognise

That 'just' for us is small

Whilst it might be 'just' the thing

That pushes them so far,

they fall

*****

Becky states she is currently trying to write a variation of this (as in it's not 'just' a smile - it could be the thing that saves someone that day) - but whilst it's still a work in progress, she shared this version

Becky Hemsley 2025

Artwork by Brooke Shaden

This poem is from her latest book, If The Stars Could Speak

Source: Becky Hemsley Poetry on Facebook

Will The Circle Be Unbroken ~ NGDB

 

Will The Circle Be Unbroken 

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

This Precious Life

This Precious Life

There is no greater blessing

than to simply be alive,

to awaken once more

within the quiet miracle

of breath.

To witness the beauty

woven into each and every day,

whether it arrives

wrapped in sunlight,

or hidden

beneath storm clouds.

No matter the circumstances,

I choose to meet this moment

with an open heart.

For every experience

is a teacher.

Every breath

an invitation.

Every step

a homecoming.

I do not wait

for life to become perfect

before I give thanks.

For this precious life

is already enough

to fill my heart

with wonder.

I find grace

in the ordinary,

the warmth of morning light,

the song of distant birds,

the rhythm of rain,

the silence between thoughts,

the smile of a stranger,

the steady beating

of my own heart.

I belong

to this living world,

and this living world

belongs within me.

Today

I release resistance

and rest

in simple presence.

I welcome joy

without grasping,

sorrow

without fear,

change

without clinging,

and love

without condition.

This moment

is enough.

This breath

is enough.

This life

is enough.

Simply happy to be alive,

I bow

to the beauty

that reveals itself

again

and again,

in each and every day,

no matter the circumstances.

And in that quiet knowing,

I discover

that gratitude

is not a destination,

it is the way

I walk

through the world.

~ 'This Precious Life' by Spirit of a Hippie
~ Mary Anne Byrne
~ Art By BinaS.Art

Source: Spirit of a Hippie on Facebook