Saturday 16th February

Saturday 16^th February 2019

And so we begin to find a rhythm in our days – I generally wake up to find John up already – I wander through in my dressing gown and have a cup of tea while sitting on the patio, meeting and greeting the day – it’s usually any time between 9 and 10.  The day always gets off to a comfortable start – maybe we have a plan for it, maybe not – a plan could be to catch a bus somewhere, to take a stroll on the beach, to snorkel, to fall into the pool, to read, to write, to watch TV, to play Elevens with John or patience or bridge on the PC, to eat, to contemplate, to engage or simply to just sit – as mum used to say – sometimes I sits and thinks and sometimes I just sits!!

I find myself so often remembering her sayings – so many of them strongly Patience Strong type sayings but with such simplicity and truth in them. Who was Patience Strong?  Well I googled her – interesting and I discovered that actually the sayings that I remember from my mum are not actually Patience Strong’s sayings!! The sentiment might be similar but mum’s are more gritty, practical and down to earth - which I guess pretty much sums up who mum was……

To have a space in time to ponder, to reflect, to be unfettered, unencumbered, to quietly and without urgency contemplate the difference between chilling and lazy and knowing that tomorrow is another day with other or the same options. It seems to be, to know, there is no right, no wrong, and above all, no judgement – it is, just that, it is…..

To be in this place of beauty, of simplicity, or all needs met – of choices to make or not make. I enjoy being right here now with no wish to be any other place, or doing any other action, this is contentment, this is acceptance. To not wish it to any other way than the way it is in this moment – this is timelessness – this is gratitude, this is goodness, this is comfort, this is heat, this is prickly, this is mosquitoes seeking attention here and there, this is sparkling sea, standing figures steering paddles this way and then that way, speedboats appearing and disappearing, Indian mynahs calling, dragon flies darting, butterflies floating, fan blades whirring, shadows creeping, clouds banking, water rippling, leaves swaying - here there, air moving visible leaves …..