Friday, June 3, 2011

Resplendence


                                  

"This is Splendid", says Madeleine yesterday evening. Yes it was indeed I thought, Sitting by the fire in the garden with supper in our hands. A sunny evening too!!!!!
Summer arrived Yesterday to Ireland! The clouds finally parted, the rain curtain lifted and we were all covered in sunlight, all day. We spent the afternoon in the garden to make the most of it, mowing, weeding and planting. And having been stopped mid -mowing at least eight times to be exact by Madeleine, who had a question or something to tell me, which happens frequently whenever I am doing something that needs my attention for a prolonged period of time. I was feeling a little a little aggravated and impatient to get finished, cook supper, Maybe get get her to bed; )



Then, I remembered there was no hurry to do so............... I found my hands in the earth momentarily planting flowers with her and planning a campfire for the evening to have supper by. How easy it is for me to get get caught up in the stresses of life even in the most perfect of places. My garden in all its lovely secluded peace, the sun shining and my daughter running down the paths the mower made and dancing up them with daisies in her hands. Where am I?  but in the paradise of the moment of being, will I always keep on forgetting that? and having to remember again and again. Thats how it is, right? To be just glad of a sunny day in the garden, to watch the flames of campfire leap in the evening sun, to eat outside again after a long winter, with such a great friend of my spirit, I have waited for this feeling to come to me, this FEELING to come to me. 
Its tricky here about summer, no one knows when it will come and sadly sometimes it doesn't last long. We spend hours, in fact days discussing with friends and neighbors how the summer might be, how it has been forecast and what we can hope for. If we deserve it at all for that matter, after having a good March, and whether it will be a heat wave in August or an indian summer in September. So light deprived we are, we obsess and rightly so. That we are deeply interested in this most important part of our lives, is quite reasonable. We must have light, and after the long dark winters, it seems natural that we would be ever hopeful of a bright summer. 


What ever the weather, Madeleine brings me new things to learn, and seems to manage to find even more space in my heart to grow. She makes everything brighter and Lighter and has dragged me along to this place, where I want soooo much for her to grow with a sense of peacefulness about life that I dedicate myself to practicing my own kind of Peace to pass on. That will be my inheritance to her. If I can show her a sense of peace about being alive and joy about the magic of that very experience, I will be the most satisfied mother. Ironically it is her being here that brings me there. In learning to be her parent, to love her, accept her, support her I learn to do the same for myself. Her presence excells my own evolution many fold. I never knew it would do this.


All This reminds me of this below : ) A wonderful poem I heard about last summer from a wonderful lady I met in Asheville NC, we had a lunch in Laughing Seed ( I am linking this, because its not the first time I felt some magic in this restaurant, and the food is truly delicious!!! but thats another days stor/ blog) one of my most favorite spots and desert in The chocolate Lounge, all with a wonderful conversation and exchange of poems and fascinating life stories. Here it is!!!!!!


HOKUSAI SAYS (by Roger Keyes)
Hokusai says Look carefully.
He says pay attention, notice.
He says keep looking, stay curious.
He says there is no end to seeing.
He says Look Forward to getting old.
He says keep changing,
you just get more who you really are.
He says get stuck, accept it, repeat yourself
as long as it’s interesting.
He says keep doing what you love.
He says keep praying.
He says every one of us is a child,
every one of us is ancient,
every one of us has a body.
He says every one of us is frightened.
He says every one of us has to find a way to live with fear.
He says everything is alive -
shells, buildings, people, fish, mountains, trees.
Wood is alive.
Water is alive.
Everything has its own life.
Everything lives inside us.
He says live with the world inside you.
He says it doesn’t matter if you draw, or write books.
It doesn’t matter if you saw wood, or catch fish.
It doesn’t matter if you sit at home
and stare at the ants on your verandah or the shadows of the trees
and grasses in your garden.
It matters that you care.
It matters that you feel.
It matters that you notice.
It matters that life lives through you.
Contentment is life living through you.
Joy is life living through you.
Satisfaction and strength
are life living through you.
Peace is life living through you.
He says don’t be afraid.
Don’t be afraid.
Look, feel, let life take you by the hand.
Let life live through you.

Thank you dear reader

Love

x Elizabeth




6 comments:

  1. A fantastic poem that more us should adhere to. Your descriptive writing captures your day beautifully.

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  2. Oh How lovely that you have read this Richard. Thanks for your comment. It is an amzing poem, so simple. The best things always are, Hey? x E

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  3. Once again reading your writings has brought me back with a bump and a smile to the moment....thanx Liz xx

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  4. hello Elizabeth,
    What a beautiful blog you have! I am so glad I found it. I found you through Mia's blog, and found Mia on etsy - my family is also from County Clare a few generations back(and I also have a daughter named Mia). And here you have mentioned Asheville, NC in your blog and this is where I live! It is feeling like a small world in this sweet moment! I love your gorgeous creations! Keep up the lovely work. :)

    summer blessings,
    emily

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  5. Thanks Lori and Emily, So glad you stopped by for a read : )
    xx

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  6. Lovely blog! So gentle and inspiring and what a beautiful play list. So glad I found you through Milla's blog.
    Happy days X

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