Sunday, November 12, 2006

Remembrance

On this Remembrance Sunday we often look back to family times and think about those who are no longer here. As I sat watching the ceremony I thought of my parents and how we always had to be quiet during the 2 minute silence and when I was little I didn't know why, except it was something to do with the war and dead people. And my Grandpa playing the cornet at a Remembrance service and being a bit embarrassed somehow but also moved to tears and not knowing why. And Helen, who died so recently and played a significant role as WREN in WWII.

Today I sat there with so many memories and my son jumping around pretending to play the bagpipes as the Scots played their lament for the dead. And it seemed so poignant and life goes on and we pass on the traditions and somehow it makes a bit of sense of this crazy world.

So today there is no question, just this poem and an image that means different things to each one of us...

In Flanders Field
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row by row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard among the guns below.

By John Macrae

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Power Play


In keeping with my revamped web site and new colour scheme I have changed the blog look. Let me know what you think!

This is one of my favourite photos of Autumn, taken last year on a beautiful November day down at Bowness, with the yachts on Windermere waiting like swans for a little breeze to set off across the lake.

On Saturday I went for a 'gentle walk' along the river Lune with the Zest group. 'Gentle' it may have been but more than 6 hours later I returned home quite exhausted after the stroll got rather bogged down in a field of cows, who took a rather more than bovine interest in us! Still, I thoroughly enjoyed it and felt quite entitled to the pizza and red wine I then downed in the evening...

For those of you who may be still wondering about the visit to the astrologer, Lyn Birkbeck, here is a brief summary of what is significant to me now.

Lyn was very professional and the reading was both detailed and personal. Without going into detail, the main messages were that I had a 'challenging ' profile and needed to acknowledge that Power is a key issue for me. And that I had to acknowledge whatever it is that is my 'personal power' and claim it, if I am to become more at ease with myself and fulfil the potential that is written in the stars... Well, I have missed out a lot of stuff and put my own spin on it, but it struck a chord, because I have been grappling with this 'personal power' issue for some time.

Just what is that makes us feel powerful - and good? You know that feeling when everything is going right and you are on a roll? Do you ever suddenly stop and think 'Wait a minute, I shouldn't be feeling/acting/behaving/ like this'? Well, what do you do about it? There are lots of issues around power, and I don't think it is a gender thing. Maybe it is something to do with the way we are brought up, or maybe it is cultural, or ...well, I don't know. But I do know that when we are feeling good about ourselves, our talents and our abilities we become greater and more able to relate, help and generally communicate with other people.

Today's question is - In what area of your life are you shielding your power and not letting it shine through? What can you do to release it so that you can become more of the person you really are and fulfil your true potential?