I am thrilled to be back blogging and writing again. It has been over 4 months, and I am feeling healed and much better. I aggravated an old back injury, had vertigo and then blood pressure issues (not related to the vertigo).
I started this poem when life had me down and the weather seemed to amplify the sentiments. With this rainbow last week, on a particularly warm November day, I was remembering what is important in my life if I am to live it to the fullest even on the darkest days.
I am joining in with Poets Unitedfor their weekly poetry link up for poets who blog.
I leave you with a few additional words about Surrendering to the Light. I welcome you to download the photo and share it.
All other photos and original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Living From Happiness, 2014-2018. Any reprints or use of other photos or content is by permission only.
“Peace on earth will come to stay, When we live Christmas every day.”
~Helen Steiner Rice
I have decided to honor my inner voice and take some time off from writing and blogging. I will be back around the New Year.
During the season of Christmas and the Solstice I go deep within to take stock of myself….and I have learned to hold onto Hope and Love, for myself and all humanity.
So I wish you peace, love and blessings during this holiday season….give yourself the gift of hope and rest….yes even rest, during what can be a hectic time.
All other photos and original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Living From Happiness, 2014-2017. Any reprints or use of other photos or content is by permission only.
While listening to the stillness of late summer, early fall, there were few sounds but the wind. These sounds filled me with the breath of life. And this poem poured forth.
The pictures here are of fading sunflowers…they bring me such peace when I look upon them in fall.
I am joining in with Poets Unitedfor their weekly poetry link up, Poetry Pantry, for poets who blog.
I leave you with a few additional words about breath of life. I welcome you to download the photo and share it.
All other photos and original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Living From Happiness, 2014-2017. Any reprints or use of other photos or content is by permission only.
“I have reached the stage now where luxury is not in fine possessions but in carefree possessions, and the greatest luxury of all would be the completely expendable.”
~Nan Fairbrother
At this time of year, the garden is making its final preparations for its annual slumber. Each successive frost reminds the plants to stop growing and producing flowers. Instead the plants begin to adjust their energies to their roots…a time to put all their focus below the soil and build up their resources now at the most basic level. Where there is warmth and nourishment for growth.
Unlike in spring and summer, where the emphasis is on the outer growth of the plant….the leaves and flowers. We work furiously in our gardens to prepare for the emergence of the plants. We weed, cut back and remove impediments so we can celebrate each new bloom as it appears. And then with the heat of summer, we sit on the front porch to cool ourselves and witness the beauty created before us…nature in all her glory.
I have spent many days, languishing in the shade of my porch and gazebo to observe the critters buzzing and chirping about. To hear the gentle wind blow through the grasses, and watch it sway the multitude of flowers. What sheer bliss.
But it seems with the coming of late fall and winter, we grieve for our gardens. Nature lays waste to our precious masterpiece, wildlife retreats and we are left with cold, fierce winds and icy cold rain and snow. We finish our garden chores and move indoors to find warmth, and a bit of relaxation.
But instead of kicking back, taking some deep breathes and going within to replenish ourselves, we seem to do just the opposite. Our lives seem more hurried than when the plants were lush and the garden chores many.
I find myself impatient, sluggish, restless and frustrated. Some of these feelings because I cannot be outside in my beloved garden and nature, but more because of the holiday season. There is so much to do!
Cleaning, baking cooking, decorating, shopping, sending cards…ugh! Not a holiday, where the word should conjure up rest, recreation, and freedom from work. No, quite the opposite in fact. The feeling of having to rush, rush, rush to get it all done before the holiday is here…not really getting a chance to enjoy the holiday season. Instead it’s the annual race to finish it all and make it the best, brightest and prettiest holiday ever, takes charge!!
Well I for one cannot do that anymore. I have given it up. Given up the cards…I send a few ecards to family. No more baking except for one little dessert for a special meal. I can’t have the sugar anymore anyway. I have a faux tree already strung with lights...no judgments please. I use a few decorations, and have purged the rest so I am not tempted to get them out and go through all the decorating hub-bub.
So why did I do all this. Because it just wasn’t feeling like a holiday…the spirit of the winter season and Christmas holiday had somehow been lost. When I should have been slowing my pace and enjoying, I was actually in high gear with too much anxiety and frustration over all the ‘Have To Do’ things….and it spilled over to family making their holiday less than pleasurable.
Now instead, I ‘get to do’ those things I love. Yes I know many people cannot just chuck it all. There are family traditions, children, grandchildren…but I do think we all need to find a bit of time for ourselves and for our own sanity. You say you don’t have the time. Well that is precisely when you need to find some time!
Start slow and with one thing. Not sending as many cards perhaps. Or holding back on some of the baking and decorating. It really is an individual thing. Look for those things that no longer give you joy, and start your purging there. That is how I started. And certainly keep those traditions you love. They are important.
Cutting back on a one or two small things will allow you to slow your pace. Giving you a needed break. And did you know that if you slow down as you move through your holiday rituals, you will enjoy them more. So take a cue from nature and her rhythms to slow down this time of year. Savor the beauty of nature and the season. The time spent with loved ones. Give the gift of time to yourself to renew…get to know yourself and reconnect with your inner core to build your strength below the surface. Allowing your body, mind and soul to grow again….finding that sheer bliss inside!
So how do you slow down the pace right now and enjoy the winter and holiday season? You can read more of my thoughts about winter in my posts, Winter’s Gifts and Winter’s Moods.
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Special Note:The pictures, in the first part of the post, were taken this year from my front porch. The violas, I grew from seed, were a special view as they were planted in multiple vases. The other views are of my gazebo. Each of these pictures evokes a sense of relaxation for me.
I leave you with a few additional words On Slowing the Pace. I welcome you to download the photo and share it.
All other photos and original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Living From Happiness, 2014-2015. Any reprints or use of other photos or content is by permission only.
As I was contemplating the strife of life and the tragedies in the world, I was feeling sucked in…becoming enraged, hopeless and fearful. And in an effort to pull myself out of this and look for a solution, these words came pouring out. I believe we need more compassion in this world, but first we have to start with empathy….both will make a huge difference in the world.
I am joining in with Poets Unitedfor their weekly poetry link up for poets who blog. Visit them to read some more wonderful verse.
And I am joining in another wonderful meme at A Spirit of Simplicity. It is called Tuesday Afternoonwhere Kara celebrates a nice slow day in a busy week. Check out her blog and the meme on Tuesday.
If you enjoy reading this blog, I welcome you to share it with others. I enjoy spreading the blog love, and I appreciate all who come and read my blogs.
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Special Note:The pictures above are of the full moon in October right around Halloween. Below is the almost full moon from the same month.
I leave you with a few additional words about reframing my outlook on life. I welcome you to download the photo and share it.
All other photos and original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Living From Happiness, 2014-2015. Any reprints or use of other photos or content is by permission only.
This poem was written in the fall, when I knew the garden would be done blooming soon, and the sometimes hectic days of the holidays would be looming. The phrase, push pause please, came into my head loud and clear almost like a song or chant to be sung.
I am joining in with Poets Unitedfor their weekly poetry link up for poets who blog. Visit them to read some more wonderful verse.
If you enjoy reading this blog, I welcome you to share it with others. I enjoy spreading the blog love, and I appreciate all who come and read my blogs. I hope to more overtly spread some blog love through both my blogs in the future.
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Special Note: In the Language of Flowers the lavender pictured here means calm. When I see lavender, I pause and take in its intoxicating scent. A sweet pause and time to reflect.
I leave you with a little bit of sentiment abouttaking a pause. I welcome you to download the photo and share it.
All original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Living From Happiness, 2014. Any reprints or use of content or photos is by permission only.
I wrote this poem October 29, 2012 during a somber period in my life when stress had taken hold of me and darkness seemed to take the daylight. The words seemed to give me some peace and solace.
I am joining in with Poets Unitedfor their weekly poetry link up for poets who blog. Visit them to read some more wonderful verse.
Special Note: The Hyssop pictured here refers to cleanliness in the Language of Flowers. It felt appropriate to use these flowers given the cleansing that letting go can bring.
I leave you with a little bit of sentiment aboutletting go. I welcome you to download the photo and share.
All original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Living From Happiness, 2014. Any reprints or use of content or photos is by permission only.
“World peace must develop from inner peace. Peace is not just mere absence of violence. Peace is, I think, the manifestation of human compassion.” ― Dalai Lama XIV
I am forever the peace-maker. As a middle child, I avoided conflict and tried to help everyone get along. I even became a certified mediator to further my skills at peace making in my profession. And still to this day, my family and friends will call upon me to work out issues others are having. They call when they need an ear or a shoulder or a referee.
But I have never felt there was much peace in anything I did. Just trying to keep the peace perhaps, but who can keep peace. It seems we need to be peace, not keep peace. I confirmed this feeling when I recently joined in a global meditation for peace with Deepak Chopra.
His message was clear….we are peace. You can’t tell people to be at peace. You can’t really teach peace, but through your example of being peace others will respond. So how do you become peace especially when conflict seems to be escalating everywhere even within ourselves?
“You have peace,” the old woman said, “when you make it with yourself.” ― Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in Heaven
I have been on a pilgrimage to find peace within for quite a long time. And it wasn’t until recently that I have been able to feel I am more at peace or should I say I am peace.
For me, peace seems to be a deep internal feeling where I accept myself warts and all. One of the things I still struggle with is judging people and situations. I have trained myself to stop, step back and let go of the judgment as it does no good. Instead I try to understand the situation or person.
And I try to connect more with compassion. Not a pity or sympathy kind of compassion, but more of a tolerance and kindness sort as we really don’t know what it is like to live in another’s skin.
I think we may have lost our capacity for this kind of compassion in this world. And it is vital that we recapture it. Compassion for ourselves as well as others. Not an easy notion, I know.
So for now I am working on connecting with my internal self where peace, happiness and compassion are always present. I know I have said it before but I connect with my soul, my inner self, through my daily meditation. I find an inexhaustible source of peace and understanding there. And once found, I stay connected to that state of peace, compassion and happiness for longer and longer periods. Being peace…I am beginning to feel it really is in each of us.
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Special Note:Purple is a favorite color of mine. It stands for someone who is sensitive,compassionate, understanding and supportive. Others come to you for help. Sounds like this color is perfect for me at this point in my life. A good color to represent peace too.
The picture below is my gift to you this week. Please download it and use it to spread peace.
All original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Living From Happiness, 2014. Any reprints or use of content or photos is by permission only.