ENDINGS AND BEGINNINGS

Tis time to rest well

just for a little spell

As I slow down my pace

and give myself some space

to reflect on my journey so far

before I follow my next star

So wait.......that I will

until I start to climb the next hill

With energy in force

As I start on my new course

(Alison)

Sometimes we seem so sure that we know what the next step in life is, but opportunity is a funny thing and it sometimes makes us stray from our planned course. As I embark on a new journey for the next set of goals in my life, I remind myself that it is important to reflect on what I have done and on what I aspire to do. To not be too set in my ways but to be open to experience and opportunity. By doing that, direction becomes clear, as investigations are made and decisions start to develop.

The next time you have to make a turn in the pathway, take a step back, and take the time to reflect on where you are going and what you are trying to achieve, mind-map your plans and see how they fit in with your life. Put down the pros and the cons, and you can then make an informed decision about the next step to take. Just like the sea ebbs and flows, so does ones life, bringing with it good and bad, tossing up some unwanted baggage as the tide comes in. This is not always a bad thing though as baggage discovered can sometimes turn out for the best, as it helps you to grow and to stretch yourself, to emerge fresh and altered before you flow back to the path that is determined by the forces in your life.

For those who are about to make new decisions about their life, I wish you the best and encourage you to take that time to reflect and to learn from that reflection before you make your next decision. However........

along the way, don't lose your spontaneity to try something different whenever you can.

Until next time...........

MOUNTAINS ARE MADE TO CLIMB

Life is a journey full of twists and turns. One minute you think you know where you are going and the next thing you turn the corner and the landscape is all new. Today I had a sense of where I was going and the view looked better than it has, things seemed clearer and I had a better sense of where I was heading.

Like climbing a mountain, sometimes the going is smooth and sometimes rough, sometimes the pace has to be fast and sometimes there is no choice but to go slow. The secret is to find the balance to know what to use, when and how. 

The interesting thing about climbing a mountain is that you are not quite sure what the view on the other side is going to be and when you get there, often the rest of the mountain range is waiting for you. It seems to look a particular way in the distance but as you get closer it can start to look different. No rest it seems, but an ongoing journey with some respite in between.

Quite exciting if you think about it. The secret is to learn to be open to experience, to take things as they come and to tackle what comes your way in a calm and methodical way to ensure that an informed decision takes place.

Like the dungbeetle, sometimes the going is rough with bumps along the way as they tackle that growing mound until it is conquered and left behind while they move on to the next. Take the time to tackle that mountain of yours, one step and one breath at a time. The view on the other side will be well worth the climb.

Round and round

as they build up the mound

push and pull

until the shape is full

...of the bits and pieces...

picked up on the way

as they move along each day

Each playing a part

to get to the start

of the next part

of the journey...(Alison)

Good luck on your journey and don't become disheartened. Just regroup and try something different and then just carry on.

THE POWER OF FAMILY

Certain events this week gave me a strong reminder of how important family is in the scheme of life and how even though we often don't see each other enough due to distance and time constraints, the connection of family never dies and is always there in the background when you need support, especially when there is a loss of a family member. The ties run deep and no amount of friends can replace the importance of that tie. Emotional support when it is most needed is more understood by family because of the history of that family and their interactions in the past present and future.
Along with family come close friends who are almost like family due to the experiences they have shared as the family has grown and developed. Good friendships also run deep and provide huge emotional support in times of need.

In saying that there are other types of families, and another event this week reminded me again of the ties of a close working unit and how even though from different families, walks of life and nationalities, a group of people with a common interest and team goals can leave one with 'warm fuzzies' in ones heart, and a sense of belonging and achievement. I am blessed that I have been a part of these experiences and the impact on my life has helped me to become a better person ( I hope) and to look deeper into myself and my behaviour in society, aiding my personal growth and development.

So to all those 'families' of relations, friends and work mates, today I salute you all and give thanks that I am privileged to know you and the impact that you have had on my life.

Sometimes the leaves fall down around

where you least expect them to be found

Their placement is perfectly left

where you least expect

them to be....but

the day comes along fast

when you never expected to ask

for the group as a whole

to fill up your soul

.......with love!
(Alison)

Bless all your families of relatives, friends and workmates today!

SOLIDARITY

Another soul that I had the pleasure of knowing has passed on from this world in the last few days. It brings back memories of the passing of my Mother 4 years ago. Time flies and the days are busy but the memories are ever present in the background. We all face loss in our families all of the time, and the thought of this set me thinking again to the importance of making the most of the time with your loved ones.
This world is such a busy place and we attach so much importance to the concrete 'real' side of life that we often tend to neglect the spirit of life; the making of memories; the time spent with those on the wane as well as those in their youth.
Time to sit and think about where we are neglecting this other important side of our life and making the time to go and see that older person, spend time reading a story to that younger one, enjoying leisure time with our friends and peers and finding the space to be with ourselves as well, to regroup in order to give back.
With the holiday season around the corner, don't make it so busy but make it count, invest in the time you spend with those you love, quality time that will help you to grow and shape who you are.

As the light splits its beam

the colours can be seen

Life has shown the way

to the coming of this day

when spirit leaves this space

to go on to a better place

where pain is no more

- life is no longer a chore

(Alison)

In memory of those that helped make meaning in our lives

THE INTRICACIES OF COMMUNICATION

Today I learnt a lesson about being present in the moment. Sometimes our minds are so preoccupied about what we are busy with, that we tune out all other information coming our way. When attention is required from oneself in a given situation it therefore seems to be a good idea to stop one's current thoughts and to focus on what is being communicated in the present space. I guess we all need to slow down and take the time to really listen to what is being said in order to process the message from the communication correctly. Being so focused on what you are doing can mean that you lose out on the nuances of the moment. So, take that moment when the 'sun starts to rise' and put your pen down so that you can appreciate the preciousness of the moment. Soak it in, absorb its rays and grow from the experience.

Try it out the next time someone tries to communicate with you. You might be surprised at the impact that it has on you.

When a moment appears

put away your fears

of not completing the task

and put aside that mask

so that the truth can seen

out from behind a screen

that we all pull down

with an obligatory frown

Alison

Happy communicating!

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Looking for something the other day I came upon a box of goods related to my one of my creative hobbies and I suddenly realized that I had not touched this particular craft for over 6 years. It set me thinking about all the creative hobbies that I do have and I suddenly realized that I really missed spending time doing them.

What have I been doing the last few years with my life?

We all get so busy following particular pathways, in my case the life of studies and being a mature student with the goal of becoming a psychologist, (as well as being a wife, mother, homemaker, volunteer and self-employed individual) that we often forget about what we were doing with our lives. I started reflecting that I had neglected that side of my life and perhaps it was time to start thinking about including it again. It would perhaps ease some stress levels and help me not to become so enmeshed in my goal that I fail to 'live', even for a few hours a week.

When did you last sit down with a good book, play a game for fun, or spend quality time with your family or friends? The time to do it is now because tomorrow will be too late. Balancing one's time to include the various aspects of life is important as it ensures that you a living a whole self, a self that is fulfilled in every aspect of life and not just on a one train track to existence.

Take stock of where you are today in terms of the balance in your life and start weighing up what is important to you to enable you to live that whole life.

Make time for the sunrise and the sunset on all of the activities you take part in, to achieve that balance which is so important to living a satisfying life.

Don't delay - Do it today!

As the sun starts to rise

make the day a surprise

as you discover inside

what you have been trying to hide

Explore what you do

and make choices anew

as you journey on with fun

in time for the setting sun

(Alison)

Good luck!

WHEN LIFE GETS TOO TOUGH.......

.....just bury yourself in something comfortable. Just for a while it feels good to separate yourself from the madness of the world that we live in, to just not see what you have to see, but just to be in whatever state you need to be. It gives you a chance to catch your breath to find much needed rest and to recoup your strength to face the next challenge.

Don't deny yourself this luxury but revel in it even for a moment until you get disturbed by the whirl of life again.

I cannot see what I cannot see

and it helps to make me feel free

...just for while.. 

so I have time to bring a smile

back to the world in which I live

in order to assist me to give

....again.

LIFE - A CONTINUAL CHALLENGE

One always has such good intentions but then the energy levels flag and the goals get misdirected. When that happens it is time to sit down, take a deep breath and renegotiate your thoughts.
The problem is that many of us tend to overload on our goals and they become too vast, causing a lack of focus.
To change this problem it is a good idea to break down your goals into more achievable parts. Don't throw that list of goals away but just try not to achieve it all at once.

• Have a roll-out plan that has small achievable goals under the main goals and try and focus on one goal at a time. We all pat ourselves on the back at our ability to multi-task but is that the answer to attaining these goals? If this is how we live our lives day in and day out there comes a time when all of the multi-tasking causes us to unravel.
• These main goals can be the master plan, the overview if you like of where you are headed.
• Once you break these main goals down into more achievable portions your sense of satisfaction as you reach each sub-goal will lead you to the next one without having that overwhelming sense of drowning under all your ideas.
• Take a day off from all your goal setting and just enjoy life and be in the moment - read a book, do some artwork, spend time with your family and do something totally different from your goal-directed master plan.
• We all need to re-energise to ensure that we are ready to tackle the next phase of our life, so start today and set up that Master Plan, which will include your time out and reflection so that you can reach your goals with the energy required. 

A Master Plan at the start

ensures................

that your goal does not fall apart

I'M BACK AT LAST

After an absence of some time, my thoughts are back with you all.
Watch this space as the journey continues and the challenges of life are tackled with reflection and creativity.
Sigh!!!!

TIME FOR RE-REFLECTION
There comes a time in your life when the journey needs re-assessing.
A time to reflect on the past....
contemplate the present...
and plan for the future.
What is important though is a little bit of honesty with regard to the self.
What have you done...
What are you doing.... and
what do you aspire to do.
We all face this challenge as we journey through life and to take the time to reflect on it all is time well spent.
So.......
Take out that diary and start writing, take the time to reflect and to have a glimpse into where the present is taking you.
It is after all just another facet of the journey.