Glorious Monday morning, listening to music at my lap top, cat purring by my side. Bliss. Here’s to a productive week for my writing colleagues and fellow freelancers.

If we ignore the news, politics and world tragedies we can all pretend life is good and just be! Just until ten clock perhaps.

On the 23rd of this month it will one hundred years since Rupert Brooke died.  Fitting perhaps that ‘The Second I saw you:The true love story of Rupert’ Brooke and Phyllis Gardner’  by Lorna C Beckett is being published by the British Library to mark the occasion.

I am fortunate to have a collector’s item of a beautiful book of his works published 1915 by Sidgwick and Jackson. The pages are so thick they are almost cardboard in texture and smell wonderful…but are no where near as wonderful as his beautiful poems. It includes an amazing photograph of him taken in 1913 and protected by a (somewhat now brown in colour) piece of tissue-paper. How fortunate am I?

I have stumbled across two equally beautiful publications of his over the years, the first went to a boyfriend who was a hopeless romantic….

The Busy Heart -‘Now that we’ve done our best and worst, and parted, I would fill my mind with thoughts that will not rend.’ Rupert  Brooke© 

and the second to a minister friend who continues to be a great mentor to me.

The Soldier ‘If I should die, think only this of me; That there’s some corner of a foreign field. That is for ever England.’  Rupert  Brooke© .

This book….I would run to save in a fire.

How many of us have stayed in a job or a relationship far longer than was better for us? Most of us would have given things ‘our best shot’ more than once and so often it is not until we have left the job or relationship that we fully realise how we were being held back emotionally and/or creatively.

I was discussing this earlier today with a close friend and we agreed that being the other side, with freedom to think and consider new challenges is a great feeling. What some would see as a risk – for the more daring is just taking life firmly by the hand and enjoying the next adventure that life has mapped out for us.

We all get trapped in trying to please those around us, with good intentions and a sense of loyalty but now and then, thinking on your feet and admitting what your own needs truly represent and what your next goal maybe is invigorating. Mysteriously, (so it seems to others) is just how easily these can be achieved when we set our minds to it.

Listen to our hearts and listen to what we might say out loud – without knowing a good friend is listening and able to repeat  back to you that you have just said ‘yes, I am going to do this…..’

So at midday today a challenging decision is nearer to becoming a reality!

In my other life as a quality consultant I have seen how people are scared and fight against change, concerned about how it will affect them and often approach it with scepticism and fear.

I have witnessed how staff have reacted when companies have been bought out; their job prospects, pay structure and working conditions are both improved and safer ….yet they have still acted hostile.

Is it fear of the unknown or is it some of us just don’t like change to our routine? Life evolves naturally and opportunities come along – how we embrace them may change our lives beyond recognition but perhaps that was meant to be.

My Mother used to frequently say ‘change is as good as a rest’ and I see that now in doing something different it can rejuvenate us even if that change is outside our comfort zone.

Nothing ventured nothing gained – another pearl of wisdom.

Today’s tip: Take a chance on life if it is willing to gamble on you.

How many of us have heard a piece of music or smelt a fragrance and been transported back in time to a memory? These are known as cascading reminiscent bumps or triggers.

The passage through grief is a difficult one; grief is not black and white and the stages overlap and entwine with one another. Elements of those phases will come back and haunt us on a regular basis and often when we least expect it.

When I ran a writers group many years ago and asked my writers to write about their senses for homework the results were amazing. Many chose to write about smells which reminded them of loved ones they had lost…myself included.

Often these ‘bumps’ return us to fond memories of childhood the halcyon days as do tastes. Only last night I tucked into a bag of Propercorn -sweet coconut and vanilla flavoured popcorn and was transported back to fond memories of being a child…home made coconut cake, smell of vanilla essence and popcorn! In those days we didn’t have the amazing varieties of flavours or Belgium chocolate covered popcorn either! …But it still tasted good.

* Above includes exerts from recent book and articles.

Updating the subject on kissing which seems to have caused a stir but shy followers still not leaving a comment preferring to text or email me direct.

Just been advised the longest kiss recorded was 58 hours. 35 minutes and 58 seconds…. bet the couple were in need of the Kiss of Life for sure after that! I already knew that it can burn off calories, maybe the couple were dieting??

Recently joked about how teenagers practice with a mirror before their first kiss but read ‘Women’s Health magazine reported most foetuses tilt their head to the right while in the womb’ so we are in fact practicing before we are born.

Carry on kissing it apparently helps you live longer too!

It is no secret that showing our appreciation of what others do for us means a lot to those concerned, but saying thank you also makes us feel better too. Sophie Freeman, ‘Daily Mail‘ had a great little article earlier this week which confirmed, that research had been conducted showing heart patients benefit from being grateful. Professor Paul Mills of a Californian University had carried out further tests including keeping gratitude diaries – I know most of my friends have read ‘The Secret’ which encourages this ethos.

It is well-known fact that being positive is good for our health and well-being and enables us to recover from trauma. When people are depressed they forget to feel grateful about all the good things in their life but opt for focusing on the negative aspects instead.

However, it is often those that have huge daily personal battles to endure and/or have disabilities or serious illnesses that seem to be more grateful for everyday simple things that most people take for granted.

As a wise woman once told me…’it doesn’t cost anything to say ‘thank you.’

I have had two conversations today wherein the subject of kissing came up! To my female readers some of you may be surprised to learn that there are still romantic men out there…….and ones that want and know how to kiss.

As I have said, kissing is similar to dancing, in that one needs a strong lead….but it is easier on the feet! I know a lot of my female colleagues have admitted it is indeed ‘in his kiss’ . Nothing better than kisses that make ones toes curl eh girls?.

Today it has been suggested I try a sponsored kiss and asked ‘is it kiss chase month?’  Both seem like jolly good ideas and I will keep the two gentlemen concerned posted!!!

Seriously, hugs and kisses are little ways to show we care, and of course depending which country you come from, the air/cheek kisses may be two, three or even more -whilst others just rub noses!

The Concise English states; Kiss: touch with the lips, sign of love, affection or reverence’..Kiss of life -mouth to mouth resuscitation, Kiss of peace -ceremonial during the Eucharist. Kiss the dust -submit abjectly; be overthrown.

Here’s hoping this post isn’t the ‘Kiss of death’ to my blog.