Author: credo2014

May is Purple month for Stroke Awareness

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bluebell a

I have no hesitation in helping The Stroke Association to promote their purple month again this year. This is a subject and cause dear to my own heart. What better way to celebrate purple than with spring bluebells. Photo taken at Ashridge last year.

Anybody wanting to get an action pack can do so at stroke.org.uk/makepurple

or call 020 7566 1500.

Over the years I have had cause to seek their advice on many occasions to help stroke survivors (they are not victims!) and The Stroke Association are absolutely brilliant. Their literature for people recovering from having a stroke is amazing too.

To quote their own purple leaflet:

‘Stroke is the second biggest killer in the world and the fourth biggest killer in the UK’

Please visit their website for ways in which you can help and/or donate. Remember the FAST signs to watch out for too:-

Face, Arms, Speech..time to call 999

 

Cascading Reminiscent Bumps

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I know I have posted about cascading reminiscent bumps before but today I experienced a great one.

My daughter bought a small bottle of cream soda and when I smelt its creamy aroma it transported me back to being a child great times and memories of ice cream floats.

Ok.. so this was a good one; but we also know that our senses can send us back into memories that may make us sad too. But hey that is not such a bad thing so what if we shed a tear or two as we remember a loved one no longer with us?

Remember that is the mind’s way of slowly releasing some of that stress and sadness still remaining in our body. Embrace it, feel it and treasure the memory.

I remember being on a London bus once sitting next to an elderly lady who smelt of lavender; I was instantly transported back to summers in the garden with gran making lavender bags -the memory was of course positive but the feeling/reminder that she was no longer around did make me feel a bit sad. So the bump did its job!

As I always say;

‘We keep our loved ones alive in our minds and our hearts’

and

‘Death does not end a relationship.’

 

Magic moments..sharing goals

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Yesterday I shared a few magical hours with my lovely spiritual niece and my extremely adorable, witty and bright four year old great nephew… who kept us entertained and our two cats bemused and intrigued.

I am often telling people to say what they mean and mean what they say to avoid confusion. However, when having fun with small children I am reminded that what we say as a joke can be quite worrying to a little person.

Long tale…

Whilst reading a story where all the characters were animals I made a silly comment about the Doctor who was sporting a great long tail..I stupidly said ‘My Dr doesn’t have a tail like that’. I was met with the smart reply ‘Your Dr isn’t an animal!!’ True.. followed by ‘Oh you were joking.’   This boy will go far.

As always my niece and I shared our enthusiasm for our latest projects and discussed future goals with her agreeing we are never too old to expand our knowledge..she is so like me and at her happiest when evolving spiritually. The second generation in my family are very in tune with their spiritual selves and possess a healthy hunger for answers.

Posted on twitter earlier today and fitting for how I view my advancing years:-

‘You are never too old to set another goal or to dream another dream.’ C S Lewis

 

 

Beautiful young people

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I was going to stay off the blog today, but in my email box came a lovely message from a young lady I had a chance meeting with just two weeks ago. This encounter prompted my blog April 14th ‘Coffee with a stranger’. It just reminded me how easily we can all touch people we meet with kindness or just a simple word of encouragement at the right time. I now have a new friend, and blog fan. hello Ashleigh!

I am surfacing following an extremely emotive but beautiful day yesterday. Attending the funeral of an amazing young woman who made such an impact in her nineteen years and touched people by her simple acts of kindness.

As sad as it was to see so many young people upset over the loss of a such a special friend I was also in absolute awe of not only her mother’s beautiful address, but how three young people, her lovely sister, boyfriend and best friend had the courage to also speak and I know that is not easy.

I was also overwhelmed by the love that filled the church which just confirmed what a difference one person can make to so many lives they touch along the way. This particular young woman was kind and compassionate far beyond her years. Few lines from one of the poems read out:

You can shed tears that she’s gone;

‘You can shed tears that she is gone or you can smile because she has lived.‘

‘You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back, or you can do what she would want; smile, open your eyes, love and go on.’

For those they knew and loved her that is exactly what she would want for all her friends to follow their dreams and do well.

 

Preparing for life and death

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Sometimes in life we have to face challenges we would rather not have to…often these challenges test our strength of character. But how on earth do we or can we prepare?

I was reflecting earlier this week how when my Stepfather died my Mother gave me the task of visiting neighbors and ringing family members to break the news. It suddenly dawned on me what she was doing…preparing me for the eventuality of having to deal with her passing. She knew it would be quite likely that I would be quite active in breaking the news and helping organise her funeral.

This week many young people  I know personally are faced with the very sad task of attending a beautiful young friend’s funeral. Of course nobody can make any sense of losing anybody their own age especially unexpectedly and I am reminded how I felt attending a cousin’s funeral a similar age. It was one of the saddest experiences of my life if I am honest.

So how do we help one another get through this? My best advice as always at any funeral is to try to celebrate the loved one’s life and respectfully so.

My other piece of advice to those concerned is to remember to look out for and keep in contact with the bereaved family after the funeral. So often people spend time offering support leading up the event then make a decision to leave the family in peace. This is of course respectful but try to remember it is after the funeral that maybe they need our support most and continually so for sometime after.

There is no time limit on grief and the more close and intense the relationship the harder it is to accept their passing. Remember death does not end a relationship and that person is kept alive in our hearts and in our minds.

The tallest poppies are always picked first…sadly.

Divorced from reality

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A very good friend was not only excellent company today but gave me this phrase which can be used to describe so many of us…we joked we are this because we are both quite mad.

Whereas some people may be ‘divorced from reality’ because of their celebrity status or financial standing.

We sometimes meet people in life that may seem a good and/or exciting influence but may actually be the very last thing we need in our life. Six million dollar question being is how do we tell? Age, wisdom and experience perhaps may be our saving grace but what if we are younger and not worldly wise..then of course ask your mum or dad!

Life is a great adventure waiting to happen or is it a case of our own proposed adventure is waiting for life to happen…now there’s a thought.

Whatever the case as the sign I purchased today says:

‘Amazing things will happen’

Mixed messages

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A few of my followers may have been surprised to see a post last week about grime music. What I didn’t mention was that during the fun time with my daughter I was actually quite alarmed, and, if I am honest, disappointed to hear the young male singers using the ‘n’ word. My daughter explained it is spelled differently but I heard what I heard.

As  I ranted at the time; are we going backwards have we learnt nothing? Martin Luther King and others gave their time and their life in support of a non racialist time.

I have been advised since that it is acceptable for one shall we say ‘young man of colour’ to use it to another ‘young man of colour’ and that in itself is sending mixed messages.

Confusingly so all youngsters will now start using this word (however they spell it) which I am deeply uncomfortable with. The irony being if they do use it verbally  in the workplace and/or within schools/colleges they run the risk of being in trouble for being racist or bullying.

I am trying to be politically correct in my blog and no offence is intended. My own mother grew up understanding what real prejudice meant in war time and being half Jewish and consequently raised us not to be prejudice in any shape or form.

If anybody can explain the purpose of this u-turn  I would greatly appreciate it as it makes no sense to me. Music artist and writers have the ideal platform of opportunity ‘to do good’ with their lyrics and send the right messages – this current phase isn’t one of them…but that’s just my view.

 

 

Play time

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I was reminded yesterday how phrases once the norm as a child sound so funny when finally we have grown up?

Play time..a time of fun becomes ‘break/free period’ as our schooling becomes more serious and focused.

Lunch hour (for those 9-5 office workers) not for the self-employed means just that.

Mine may be quick jog around the common, bowl of soup whilst watching the news with one eye on the lap top. More often than not a sudden realisation come five o’clock that lunch came and went and I am starting to feel a bit peckish and a chocolate bar is calling.

Maybe we should find more time to play but we just need the right distraction and willing play-mate… it can be so boring being grown up.

Last night a friend told me her four year old daughter who was being high-spirited and when told off by Daddy replied:-

‘No you grumpy wizard!’ Love love love it!

She will go far making people laugh is half the battle, keeping them amused not so easy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Mother’s Love

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Rainy Mondays can be just as great for good news as Fridays!  Just had a positive response to one of my projects and am feeling elated. Was talking to an amazing friend who could share the moment with me.

My wonderful mother and mentor used to say;

‘Everything comes to those that wait’

…and we would quip as kids:

‘Some have to wait a bit longer…’

I am often quoted as reminding people to be patient as things happen when they are meant to and for good reason. Maybe when we really want something we are not yet ready to cope with it and that is why we have to wait.

To that spiritual force out there I will say thank you for listening to me. If this comes to final fruition I know it will help others by reading it and that is my gift to help the healing process through the written word.

Today’s message is work hard and keep that dream in your vision and close to your heart and when asked what motivates me the answer is always the same:-

‘A Mother’s Love’.  My story and her’s.

 

 

 

 

 

We all get scared from time to time

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I remember my Mother saying a real man cries and men get scared too. As I was reminded today ‘not just romantic women are vulnerable’ and I stand duly corrected.

I repeat the words from John Martyn’s song ‘Head and Heart’…

‘Love me from the place it starts…love me like  a child.’

Sometimes  I feel that love songs sung by men are somewhat more honest. No doubt I will get slated for saying that…sorry ladies.

Whilst in the  mood for romantic lyrics, the old sixties song ‘The More I see you’

‘My arms won’t free you and my heart won’t try.’

Enough of this tosh. Time for coffee and that millionaire’s shortbread.