Do many of us actually reach an age of maturity (whatever that may be) without having our hearts broken? I doubt it, but not all of us will openly admit it.

The power to love another is an amazing gift but sometimes we give it to the wrong person who at the time we are certain they are! That my friends is life.

We’ve all been there, writing can of course be extremely therapeutic. A piece included within my anthology ‘Beyond the Double Rainbow’  describes that feeling.

The cord

 I feel as though I’m tied to him

Just like a Mother and her unborn child.

I wait patiently for the birth of our love to arrive

…so I can at last dance free again.

 

Will the child breathe easy unaided by me?

Is it a healthy child or is it frail and undernourished?

I so wanted it to be a happy bonny child

…like love’s supposed to be.

 

Who will be brave enough to finally cut the cord?

Will we both survive and live and love separately?

Or will one of us be unable to cope –

….alone without the warmth of the other’s love.

 

And so the song says *‘if you love someone set them free’

and ‘The tallest trees most definitely grow apart’

Annie Manning

 

 

So what should I offer my followers today being ‘International Womens’ Day’?

My usual advice follow your dreams whatever they may be. Alongside my self-development studying I am busy writing and like many budding authors have to pitch my projects to the world of publishers.

Today, it’s been mainly about my projects, (for a change) and I am pitching ‘The Little book of Kisses’ a lighthearted yet factual book about…yes you’ve guessed it kissing!

Yes, I know Valentines Day has passed but kissing is an all year round event..didn’t you know?

I will keep you updated and fingers crossed not too many rejections!

Following poem was written by me some time after mum had died.  I suspect it will resonate with many readers who have lost their mum.

It was included within ‘Beyond the Double Rainbow’ a fundraising book for her hospice.

SOMETIMES MUM

Sometimes Mum,

 I forget you have gone,

And I reach for the phone.

Then, the reality hits me again,

I’m emotional and alone with my pain.

Yet, I was calling to share something good,

Something stupid –you always understood

My need,

And, my eternal greed

for your love and approval.

You never ran out of either,

Sometimes Mum,

in my dreams we still chat,

But I cannot ring you back.

Then I awaken,

I realise I do not know your new number.

You see.

Sometimes Mum,

To me you haven’t gone.

Annie Manning

 

 

 

After a few extremely sad weeks following the loss of a brilliant young life it was wonderful to receive news of a new life on its way in our family unit.

During a time of bereavement especially in an unexpected death one starts to question one’s faith and life itself.

In comparison the joy one feels when learning another life is making its way into the world. One can only assimilate this to the difference between the darkness of winter and the hope that spring brings.

A reminder to all to live, love and laugh often.

Tell those we love that we love them.

 

I consider myself extremely fortunate that I enjoy my continual studies and that my hunger for learning always needs satisfying.

We are never too old to learn new skills and/or enhance those we naturally have but maybe have yet to discover a niche for.

Now I’m in search of that dream job within pastoral working with teens who let’s face it have it pretty tough. They are all A star students albeit in their own way and that is something which is often forgotten whilst those around focus their attention on results!

Here ends today’s rant!

 

I know a lot of my spiritual friends feel our life is mapped out for us and what we see as sheer coincidence is in fact fate.

As George Michael famously sang ‘Turn a different corner’ or as a romantic cad boyfriend used to say  ‘It’s kismet’. Whatever puts us on a road or makes that chance meeting happen we have to make the best of it at that time.

I know my mother when trying to make sense of my father’s early sudden death would balance it out by saying how many narrow escapes he had during his time served as a desert rat…and how he was to come home, marry and have five children before dying just aged 44.

I  always maintain that anything we undertake in life and/or whoever we meet we do so for some good reason and hopefully learn and make use of those experiences.

As a beloved musician friend used to sing ‘when I think of all the good times that I wasted having good times!’

Last night I re-watched the film ‘The Adjustment Bureau’ confirming what is meant to be will be, even when we struggle against it or others try to prevent it from happening.

In life we have choices and sometimes we make the wrong ones for the right reason!