Easter in the eyes of a child
by sofiaista
When Easter comes, little children are filled with a bubbly joy.
Kids don’t always know why Easter is the way it is.
Not many young children even think about how Easter came to be.
Most of the time, their main focus is to get the biggest chocolate they can!
When you see them with chocolatey mush all around their mouths, your heart can’t help melting at the sight of something so cute!
But that is what is so naive and adorable about the youngest members of the world!
By Sofia
New South Wales, 2020
The Blazing House
by sofiaista
You stare at the blazing fire that is scorching your face.
You have tried every thing to escape the tiny apartment set alight with fire.
When you try to scream, no words come out of your gaping mouth.
The fire starts to lick up the walls all around you.
Helplessly, you turn and run into the kitchen and try to turn on the half melted tap, but it is as dry as the Sahara desert.
You take a deap breath and almost choke to death. The ash is starting to swirl all around you like a hurricane.
That’s when you hear the fire truck wailing in the distance.
Then, you black out….
By Sofia
NSW 2020
You run your fingers lightly over the Egyptian code, embedded in to the solid stone doors. No one has been in this tomb for thousands of years.
Well, that was all about to change now.
What have you done!
You think as the doors open wide as possible. As soon as you set your gaze on the ancient things lying everywhere, your mouth opens wide into a near perfect “O” shape.
What you have found is not just billions of dollars waiting to be yours, what you have found is pure history.
You take a large step, and immediately the room starts to crumble….
By Sofia
April 2020 NSW
Only on foggy days does it appear in the park, lurking around the rickety wire fence that blocks off a part of the park no body is allowed in.
There was not much to say about the figure cloaked in mystery.
The shadow had wide, broad shoulders, and always seemed to wear a big coat of some sort.
It didn’t help that fog clouded the path every which way, so you would never be able to truly identify the silhouette from a distance.
For a few weeks, the figure would seem to be staring over the fence and in to the blocked off zone.
What did it mean?
Why was the person here?
What did it want?
By Sofia
NSW, 2020
On my mind this week:
Recently I have become increasingly aware of my busy days leading me to a sense of frustration and a perceived lack of achievement come the end of the day.
I have read many pieces of advice of how to live in the present, from using nature as our ancestors did and imagining the earth as a great spirit to taking an invigorating run?
Sounds like bullshit to me and many others
but Is this really a problem though, do I need further time consuming activities to add to my seemingly busy day? Or is busyness a state of mind that I have started to use as a badge of courage as many others do?
Is the excuse of being busy a way to avoid doing some key things in my life like actually having a deep conversations with people important to me.
I don’t have three children but if I did could I pause them to re centre my thoughts and take a run or pray or meditate. This is a ridiculous proposition and I do not suggest for a moment that this is what self help writers are advocating.
Could it be that the issue you are facing is not how much you are doing but your attitude in how you are doing it?
Everyone is busy, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
in his essay written in 1932, The philosopher Bertrand Russell commented, work was an overrated virtue. His essay was titled “In praise of idleness” and the concept of embracing idleness has now become a mantra of many. But not everyone can afford to adapt this view of idleness which seemingly has extended unusually to the encouragement by some Of “feeling the presence of the rocks, earth, mountains, streams and lakes.” And pausing your “doing ” to “smell the roses” when You need it. All concepts probably foreign to Mr Russell.
Here’s the small but powerful insight God gave me.
I hope it speaks to you in a helpful way as it did to me. And that is – paying attention living in the present.
When we don’t exercise this act of mindfulness we find ourselves stuck in a mechanised state of living. Going through the motions, tired, waiting for something better tomorrow or next week, or one day when we are retired perhaps, or the day when when the kids leave home. This looking forward is fine if we are not using it as a panacea to do nothing today, to appreciate today to seize the day no matter how simple or mundane it may seem.
Heaven forbid that to add excitement in this time while we wait we indulge ourselves in other distractions such as alcohol, drugs or extra marital relationships. there are many distractions we can indulge in but that in itself is another conversation.
When steps become heavy journeying to get to the end of the day, we need to make a decision, a tiny but profound one, to fully partake of every moment of every day and cherish it for what it is!
Paying attention is a moral act. When you practice it, much deeper connection happens…with yourself and others.
In the midst of what you are doing, choose to pay attention, choose to notice.
It doesn’t take extra time, because whatever task it is you’re doing,you’re doing it already.
It doesn’t take extra time to pay attention to the pleasing colours of the veggies when you are BUSY cooking and To notice which one you find particularly attractive, if not tasty.
It doesn’t take extra time to pay attention to someones body language as you listen to that person with a hope for deeper recognition and connection.
You can think of examples for any BUSY occasion when you can remain in that moment and give and get so much more out of that interaction.
You can imagine sitting in yet another meeting, paying full attention to each speaker, and really listening? Perhaps not so much to the message, which might be quite boring, but to the person who is speaking?
On the outside, paying attention/mindfulness doesn’t look like much. But on the inside, it creates a whole new experience.
You’ll see things anew, have experiences that you didn’t have before, and the magic of every day life will unfold before your eyes. Because there really is magic to be found in the mundane. You just have to look for it.
I would love to share your journey with you and help if I can, just ask
God bless you.
Reciprocity, Meditations on Mother’s Day
by Hadduzh
The country of my birth does not have Mother’s Day on its calendar. I did not know of this special day until visiting countries that id celebrate it in my teens. Now with children myself I have become the focus for them on this day thanks to their school, the media and of course retailers and restaurants who want to maximize their revenue at this time.
Recently, as they have gotten older, the children’s attitude seems to of changed. This made me think and precipitated me to do a little digging into the roots of this celebration and meditate on this change in my children’s attitudes and responses. In anticipation of Mother’s Day this weekend, here are a few things I’ve read and meditated on.
The history of Mother’s Day dates back to the year 1908. It was created by Anna Jarvis,who after the death of her own mother wanted to honor the sacrifices mothers made for their children.
Now it has became a western tradition which honors motherhood and is celebrated across the globe.
This week at my children’s school I was invited to a Mother’s Day afternoon tea. Tables were set beautifully, flowers, cakes, music and presents carefully wrapped and packed by the kids.
The most delightful part of the afternoon was to see the children welcoming and hosting their moms for the event.
On arrival my kids ran towards me welcomingly, smiles stretched across there faces and took me to the table to be served, as it had been arranged with their teachers. I could tell that they were not doing it out of duty, but pleasure and love.
Their sweetness was melting my heart and there was one word in my mind- reciprocity.
As a parent It is quite rewarding to see the qualities God intended developing in your children…Reciprocity
- It is fundamental principle in any healthy relationship.
- It’s one of the basic laws of psychology.
- It’s widely used in business situations.
Any quality in us which brings out good in others is The Creators seed in us and, by cultivating it we will greatly benefit as a society generally. At a very base level we teach our children and encourage ourselves to not just receive but also give with a generous heart. This is not just money or goods but most importantly time and a respect of others that is natural and not forced.
Bible is full of examples of law of reciprocity. One of my favorites is in Luke 6:38
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (NIV)
Thanks for all mothers ( and teachers) who are mindful of developing a giving spirit in children.
And as Mother’s Day is approaching set aside some time just to say thanks.
I’m sure she’d love to hear from you!
The Power of Nettles to Evoke Childhood Memories and Heal the Soul
by Hadduzh
As I was walking my children to school one morning I noticed familiar green leaves poking through the dark soil. These simple Cotyledons had an appearance that awakened a feeling of recognition.
Growing up with my grandma in a village of the high mountains of the Caucuses, every season heralded a new bounty. The arrival of this bounty decreed a series of steps that were required to be undertaken to fully utilise the earths goodness and to celebrate that time of the years cycle.
Upon closer inspection the small green leaves breaking through the neglected soil were the leaves of the Common Nettle Plant. (Urtica dioica)
Childhood memories were instantly awakened and my heart urged me to revive the recipes of my grandmother in my own kitchen some 13,000 km and a lifetime away from my original kitchen of tutelage in the mountains.
In that place the pace of life was very different. Suspended high in the mountains 5000 metres above sea level Nettles grew well., funny they seem to grow equally as well next to a train track in the Melbourne suburbs. So from a place where it feels that time has stopped to a place where life is noisy and brisk the same plant has risen and aroused memories long supplanted by the certainty of life in a foreign land
In the mountains you live observing the present and when certain greens break through the soil your soul is awakened and calls you to action.
That same action has called me again and I am reminded of the foods, drinks and medicine that must be shared with friends, family and now you.
These are 3 ways of using nettle I grew up with:
Brewed Nettle Tea ( great antioxidant, anti inflammatory, provides relief for urinary disorders)
Baked Nettle Pastries
Nettle leaves applied topically at the site of pain caused by arthritis or joint pain.
I’ve enjoyed sharing my nettle memories with you, please share yours with me.
God bless,
Hadija.
My love is all things aesthetic. My passion is God.
Mending souls and not just skin, is the way to celebrate beauty. During the past 20 years I evolved my passions experiencing my artistic visions and self-taught other skills and painting, and more. Inspired by different cultures and stories I to collect unique finds and create inspiring pieces which have stories to tell.
I love interacting with creative and inspiring people.
If that’s you let’s journey together!
Muddied Waters 
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