Wednesday Words Of Wisdom....

The Prophet - Khalil Gibran

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. 

They come through you but not from you, and though

they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you

cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children, as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, 

and he bends you with his might that his arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;

For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so he loves also the bow that is stable. 

Image by Alison Wright

Tuesday Treats...

                 

                             chocolate cake with pistachios, raspberries and vanilla flavoured marscapone                                    

                                                                   Source: latartinegourmande.com via Belinda on Pinterest

                                                                           Berry Parfait

                                                                         Source: latartinegourmande.com via Belinda on Pinterest

Monday Musings: Mornings In Jenin...

Over the weekend I finished reading "Mornings In Jenin" by Susan Abulhawa. It is a novel set against the background of the Palestine-Israel conflict - a conflict that I have been aware of and that has been going on since before I was born but one I have never really known too much about. Susan herself was born to refugees of the Six Day War of 1967, when her family's land was seized and Israel captured what remained of Palestine, including Jerusalem. It is very much a story which gives voice to the experience of Palestinians, a voice which hasn't been expressed a lot, if at all, in literature. Rather than encouraging the reader to takes sides, however, Susan's writing brings to the forefront the commonality of the human experience. I can honestly say that it has been a long time since I have read a novel that is so beautifully written that you can feel every ounce of emotion from every character. Susan's phrasing and use of language literally transports you so that you feel as though you understand the culture and the time and relationships, even though you have no experience of any of it. 


It is undoubtedly a tragic story - there were points in it where I literally had to stop reading because the level of tragedy, pain and sorrow seemed unbearable. What kept me reading though, was the thought that the story of these people needed to be honoured by me reading and acknowledging it. (Yes it is a novel, but it is written about events and experiences that occurred for thousands and thousands of people). I think what got me the most too, was the thought that all over the world, atrocities, destruction and violence is the norm and is the experience of life for so many people - simply as a result of where they are born and the decisions of others. The human spirit continues to amaze me in regards to the things that people can live through and yet they still carry on. 


Despite the tragedy, devastation, war and oppression, there is an overwhelming sense of family, hope and love that pervades the story. It is well worth the read, not only for the insights that it provides into the Palestine-Israel conflict but also for the effect that such a beautifully written novel has on the reader emotionally. A really unforgettable novel...... 

Sunday Sounds: Lost

Saturday Soul: Rumi.....

                                                                      Source: livingexotic.tumblr.com via Belinda on Pinterest

How does a part of the world leave the world?

How can wetness leave water?...

What hurts you, blesses you...

Darkness is your candle.

Your boundaries are your quest.

I can explain this, but it would break

the glass cover on your heart,

and there's no fixing that.
RUMI

Fabulous Friday: Champagne.....

                                                                        Source: google.com via Belinda on Pinterest

I think its very important to surround yourself with things in your life that make you feel fabulous. It could be an amazing dress, a pair of shoes, a cozy jumper, a photo of your dream destination, a beautiful card or piece of artwork, champagne, certain food...... It may not be something you even own or have in your possession. It may just be something you have an image of or something you think about. It doesn't matter what it is, as long as it makes you feel fabulous. Each Friday I'm going to dedicate some space to posting something that, to me, is fabulous or makes me feel fabulous. Too often we deny ourselves the joy of feeling fabulous - or we wait for someone else to create that feeling for us. Life is to be lived. So surround yourself with things, images and people that make you feel fabulous. You deserve it! (Oh, and if you don't have any ideas that spring to mind or are in your head about what makes you feel fabulous, its time to go and so something about it!).  


So for my first piece of fabulousness, I have selected champagne. There is just something about champagne that always makes me feel fabulous. Perhaps because its associated with celebrations and nights out and feeling good. If ever I want to make myself feel special or 'indulgent' a fabulous bottle of Moet will usually do the trick!

Thursday Thoughts: The Love Of My Life...

The greatest thing about the lightness I feel right now is the effect it has on my relationship with the gorgeous little man in the photo above (isn't he so squinchy? that's my word for so adorable you just want to eat him up!). My current life circumstances allow me to be present when I am with him, which is so important to me. The time goes so fast and before I know it he will be at school and not wanting to talk to me or hang out. So I am acutely aware of making the most of every moment I have with him, and I am very grateful for this. One of the hardest things about being a mother or parent is the juggling act - of trying to keep all the balls in the air. Work and family are probably the biggest ones for me and I have made a conscious choice this year to choose a job that allows my focus in non-work hours to be entirely on my little man, my home or whatever it is that I am doing. Financially this will most likely not be something I can sustain for years on end and no doubt my ambition will kick back in and take me to something else job wise in the future. But right now, I have created a scenario that seems to allow me to keep the balls in the air in a way that seems to work best - for myself and, in turn, the love of my life. And for that I feel extremely blessed.

Thursday Thoughts: Lightness of being.....

                                                                           Source: pixdaus.com via Belinda on Pinterest

I am currently very aware of a feeling of lightness. This is in stark contrast to this time last year, or even a few months ago. My perspective on my life and how it needs to look has definitely shifted and I am in a place of acceptance. This acceptance certainly took some time to arrive at and I've struggled considerably with letting go of certain elements. For the most part, however, I am allowing things to come, rather than pushing. Instead of having my head constantly in the future, I am being present and staying in the now. When I feel uncomfortable or stressed by anything, I am much more conscious of just sitting with the feeling, accepting it is there and understanding that it will pass. It doesn't mean that I never feel bad, sad, angry or any other similar emotions - but I don't allow them to completely overwhelm me or affect my life to the extent that I might have before.

I know that the way my life looks now is not how it will look forever, but for now, its great.

Wednesday Words Of Wisdom....

 

                                                                              Source: google.ca via Belinda on Pinterest

Tuesday Treats...

 

                                                                    Source: alwayswithbutter.blogspot.com via Belinda on Pinterest

I am a food lover - no doubt about it. Much of my day revolves around food or thinking about food. I'm very fortunate to have been raised in a household where we were exposed to lots of different foods and have eaten in some fantastic restaurants. As a result, I pretty much eat anything and everything (this is clearly both a good and a bad thing....). Having said this, I'm not much of a cook and I prefer to let others do the 'making'. I am more than happy though, to do the 'sampling' and to appreciate the end result and effort that goes into preparing the food!

Each week I will post some of my favourite food pics. You will most likely notice a heavy dessert or sweet influence. I'm not just a sweet tooth, but there is something about great food photography and styling that just makes these treats appeal to me so much more. Enjoy!

Monday Musings: My Friend Ange...

                                                         Source: sweetcoloredphotographs.tumblr.com via Belinda on Pinterest

Tonight I absolutely cannot go to bed without writing this post about my friend, Ange. The term 'friend' doesn't seem to do her justice because she is so many things to me and that word alone doesn't seem enough. She is absolutely, 100%, without a doubt, my soul sister. Of all the people I have been blessed to meet in my life, she is one who the universe brought to me at the perfect time and who did not just cross my path due to some random twist of fate. We have known each other since I started working at lululemon in July 2009, although we only crossed paths briefly then, as she moved to a different store. As it happened, the following year I ended up managing the store she was at and so our real friendship started. I actually believe that she was the primary reason the universe guided me to manage the one store I never envisaged myself going to (due to its geographic location being the furthest from where I lived). At any rate, I ended up there and now I can't even imagine not having made that move and having this amazing woman in my life.

We have both had very different lives and experienced very different ups and downs, highs and lows. But where we both are in our life journey's right now is so similar (except that I have a 3 year old and she doesn't and she lives in Tasmania and does crazy things like kayak in freezing rivers and I don't!). In particular, its where we are in our journeys of finding out who we are and being true to ourselves above all else where we are so uncannily in the same place. And I feel so blessed to have this 'sister' by my side because, pardon my French, this shit ain't easy.....  Holding yourself accountable to being the best 'you' that you can be, trying to work through 34 years (ok Ange, I'll pay you your 33 years and 8 months) of experiences and baggage and trying to carve out a life where you are genuinely happy and fulfilling your responsibilities is something you have to work at each and every day. I wouldn't change any of it for anything in the world and I believe I am exactly where I need to be, but it makes the world of difference to have someone by your side who ALWAYS has your back. Who holds you up when you need it, who challenges you and doesn't let you get away with stuff, who reminds you of the goodness in life and yourself when you can't see it, who can quote Steel Magnolia's and laugh about anything and everything with you and who, most importantly, just 'gets' you. 

Ange, from the bottom of my heart and soul, I am so so so so so grateful that the universe brought you to me. You truly are a very special woman who shines the brightest light on every person you meet. Even though we are geographically a ridiculous amount of km's apart, our bond seems to be getting stronger and stronger. I cannot imagine how I would have survived the past year and a half without you. In every area of my life, you have provided me with wise words, hugs, laughter and hope and I can never thank you enough. Your bravery, honesty, passion and compassion for others inspires me each and every day and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE you to pieces dude! 

Sunday Sounds: Let It Be Me....

Complete and utter music for the soul. Ray has the voice of an angel......

Saturday Soul: I Am Worth All Of It...

My friend, Ange, and I had a conversation last night where I asked her what 3 things she was going to do to feed her soul this weekend. I then shared mine and we said we would hold each other accountable to having done those things for ourselves by the end of Sunday night. After that conversation, I read this quote from Anna Guest-Jelley (she was referring to yoga but the sentiment is the same regardless of what activity or action applies to you).

"Every day when I awake, I face the allure of the snooze button or getting onto my mat with my stiff morning body. This choice is a microcosm of my life: determining and asserting my priorities. Honouring rest when needed but also holding myself accountable to what helps me feel grounded throughout the day".

A balancing act I have been thinking a lot about lately. Often when it comes to the weekend I am tempted to use any long stretches of time to do nothing, or rest, or catch up on sleep. But the flip side of this can lead to me getting stuck in a rut where I don't do other things that I know feed my soul and that I also want to do.

So this weekend I was determined to not make everything an 'either/or' and to just 'do' the things I keep thinking about but not doing. I cleaned my house last night, watched episodes of Sex and The City, did grocery shopping this morning, had breakfast with my sister Lauren and did a little retail therapy, designed and published my new blog, made myself chocolate pudding for dessert, and read my book. If someone had told me a few days ago this is what my Saturday would look like I would probably have said "If I do all those things I'll be exhausted by the end of the weekend". But in fact, after having done them, the opposite has occurred. I feel like my tank has been filled because I made looking after my health a priority (I have a tendency to not eat as well as I should, usually due to lack of organisation and only cooking for myself....), I connected with my sister, spent the morning in a suburb I don't normally hang out in, I cleaned my physical surroundings which makes me feel much more calm and means I can enjoy my space, gave myself a new place (ie this blog) to chronicle and share all the thoughts and inspiration I've been storing up, rested, allowed myself to make dessert even though I'm on my own, and read a book which, as my biggest passion, always fills my tank. And I've still got another day of the weekend to go where I get to fill my tank through family (my little man comes back to me tomorrow and I will see my sisters and my parents), and I get to fill the physical fitness tank when I play hockey (plus much more I'm sure!).

Sometimes what we need is a little shift in perspective......

A Fresh Start.....

Welcome lovely friends to my new blog! This is something I've been thinking of creating for a while now. Give Love Get Love will always hold a special place in my heart but I feel that its creation and content belong to a part of me that has moved on a little. As such, its time for me to share my thoughts, loves, views and finds in a new and fresh way. So, here it is!

The inspiration for the title came from the lyrics of a Massive Attack song called "What Your Soul Sings". I edited it a little to reflect where I am in my own life. Now is all about being true to myself, using my own voice, trusting my instincts and creating an amazing life for myself.

For my first post I thought I would post the lyrics that inspired the title of the blog, to set the vibe. Enjoy!

Don't be afraid

Open your mouth and say

Say what your soul sings to you

Your mind can never change

Unless you ask it to

Lovingly re-arrange

The thoughts that make you blue

The things that bring you down

Only do harm to you

And so make your choice joy

The joy belongs to you

And when you do

You'll find the one you love is you

You'll find you

Love You

Don't be ashamed no

To open your heart and pray

Say what your soul sings to you

So no longer pretend

That you can't feel it near

That tickle on your hand

That tingle in your ear

Oh ask it anything

Because it loves you dear

Its your most precious King

If only you could hear

And when you do

You'll find the one you need is you

You'll find you

Love you