Being seen and heard is a precious experience. And every person needs and deserves to feel this way, at least at some time in their lives. It is part of what enables us to be fully human. Yet, we know this is not a universal experience. People do not feel seen and heard for many … Read more
We all know times when we don’t have the words. Maybe our language lacks the complexity we are trying to articulate. Perhaps it is too narrow or shallow for what we are trying to say. Or we are overwhelmed by the negativity we encounter daily, to rise above with a verbal expression of hope. In … Read more
What does it take to bring calm into the room? I don’t think it’s just about absence. Or lack of an opinion. Or even silence. Because even the stones sing. Instead, perhaps it’s a quality of listening and the character of presence we bring. Pause. See differently. Re-story 🌿
Perseverance can be a severe-sounding word. A ‘grit your teeth and get through it’ stubbornness. But what if we embraced the softer side of perseverance by being present with kindness? I appreciated this gem from Kevin Kelly in Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier: Whenever you have a choice betweenbeing right … Read more
It can take a while to trust being around others. This first-time Canada Goose family learnt the hard way that the presence of alpacas can help protect them from predator foxes. Now, they have an understanding and are comfortable in each other’s presence. Doing what they do best – the first-time father watching out for … Read more
The old rose I wrote about a few weeks ago is gracefully sharing the last of its beauty. Its colour is exquisite, and the way it holds the last drops of rain is almost tender. Oh, that we would embrace the fullness of now, not clinging to some other time. THE FULLNESS OF NOW We … Read more
This is a gift we give ourselves. We need to own and value it. And if we have it, we can share this gift with others. But we can’t wait, hoping others will give us our gift. Because it’s not that kind of present. Pause. See differently. Re-story 🌿
I love the early evening light in the valley. It has a certain quality that suggests depth and nuance. It also has the dual sense of lingering while also being fleeting and inviting me to relax in contentment without holding on too tightly. What a beautiful lesson in presence. Pause. See differently. Re-story 🌿
Singular, yet not alone, connected by threads of life. A momentary, fleeting presence yet as old as these hills, singing a distinctive song that’s part of a glorious chorus. A rhythm of being, that echoes all around. + Sue Heatherington And I could so easily have trampled upon this delicate fruiting body in the hillside … Read more
Only when the sun shines do I realise how dirty the windows have become. I hadn’t noticed before. And likewise, when someone gifts us the fullness of their presence, we notice things otherwise obscured. Not that we have been avoiding seeing, just that we hadn’t seen. That’s part of the gift. Pause. See differently. Re-story … Read more