A doctor once said to me (via Rudolf Steiner), 'The future is built on sacrifice'. It's a statement that comes into my mind from time to time especially as, recently, I've been immersed in a kind of sacrifice. This is because I'm swamped, trying to adjust to giving daycare to my two small grandsons.
A friend of mine adores moving, renovating and redecorating houses. That's not going to happen again for her because her much younger sister and her partner stay in a cottage on the property where she lives now, and they wouldn't be able to afford other accommodation. Now, what's happened? Over the years the two sisters have formed a close and loving relationship, something that didn't really develop in their earlier lives. This is will endure, be of value and work into the future in a good way.
So I wondered... Do you have any such examples to share?
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
What's on my mind
'What's on your mind?' so goes the Facebook prompt. At which moment, my mind immediately goes blank.
However, lately the '60s and the hippie revolution have been on my mind. I think this is because at this time last year we were in California, and staying, specifically, in Berkeley. While there we happened to catch on TV a documentary about the student movement at the university, the protests, sit ins and so on. It made a deep impression.
Having been a teenager in England in the '50s, I was just ahead of all the turbulence and turmoil that took place, the sexual revolution, the dropping out and tuning in and so on. Still, mulling over the whole phenomenon I'm aware of how restricted we were by old traditions in the '50s, how trapped in class and rigid manners and expectations. Yes, there were good things and bad about the hippie time, and almost I could say that a true impulse for social change was hijacked when other influences came in. But I remain impressed by my ex-hippie friends, and the way they still live their lives with idealism.
I was discussing it all with my d.h., who said he'd also been thinking along these lines. His words of wisdom was that it needed to happen, we needed to break free. I'd say this is true.
However, lately the '60s and the hippie revolution have been on my mind. I think this is because at this time last year we were in California, and staying, specifically, in Berkeley. While there we happened to catch on TV a documentary about the student movement at the university, the protests, sit ins and so on. It made a deep impression.
Having been a teenager in England in the '50s, I was just ahead of all the turbulence and turmoil that took place, the sexual revolution, the dropping out and tuning in and so on. Still, mulling over the whole phenomenon I'm aware of how restricted we were by old traditions in the '50s, how trapped in class and rigid manners and expectations. Yes, there were good things and bad about the hippie time, and almost I could say that a true impulse for social change was hijacked when other influences came in. But I remain impressed by my ex-hippie friends, and the way they still live their lives with idealism.
I was discussing it all with my d.h., who said he'd also been thinking along these lines. His words of wisdom was that it needed to happen, we needed to break free. I'd say this is true.
Monday, July 13, 2009
sound settings
Thanks to a generous son, I have two computers, a laptop and a desktop. I enjoy using both, but strangely enough, have the one set to make a 'coing' when an email arrives, or I save a document, and the other not. What I realized yesterday was that I now subconsciously wait and expect to hear the 'coing' when I hit control 's'. It's like a confirmation. But really, do I need that?
A while ago I was intrigued to learn that digital cameras had to incorporate a click sound when a photo was taken, even though that's not necessary. I'm not sure if this still apllies, and I'm not totally sure what my underlying thought is here. But perhaps it has something to do with how we create unconscious expectations for ourselves?
A while ago I was intrigued to learn that digital cameras had to incorporate a click sound when a photo was taken, even though that's not necessary. I'm not sure if this still apllies, and I'm not totally sure what my underlying thought is here. But perhaps it has something to do with how we create unconscious expectations for ourselves?
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Happy 4th
So today we have the 4th July to celebrate. And last Wednesday it was the 1st, with Canadians gathering on Parliament Hill for Canada Day, many of them wearing red. Except my dear husband who made the mistake of wearing blue. He should have heeded the advice on the vanity plate of a car I saw recently viz: 'turn lft'.
On the 14th I'll be thinking of the Tricolor and, being something of a francophile, humming the Marseillaise. I'll remember the first time I saw Paris when my father took me there for the Easter weekend in 1955, and we visited Versailles and the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and Napoleon's tomb. That was also the first time I flew in a plane. Then there was another Paris, the snatched weekend away from the children when the dear husband and I met at Gatwick and raced down the wide corridors to catch our cheap flight (the last two seats) just before the gate closed. Waiting at the luggage carousel at Charles de Gaulle, I stood next to and chatted to a charming Diane Keaton.
Ah memories. These days they flutter by almost as often as thoughts.
p.s. And in case you're wondering, I made a start on tidying my study, a task I'll take up again today. Yes, I baked a cake and arranged some flowers for the house. The revision of my manuscript? Only got that done yesterday. Seeing as my goal was to finish by the end of May, you can see these things always take longer than I anticipate. But I'm happy.
On the 14th I'll be thinking of the Tricolor and, being something of a francophile, humming the Marseillaise. I'll remember the first time I saw Paris when my father took me there for the Easter weekend in 1955, and we visited Versailles and the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and Napoleon's tomb. That was also the first time I flew in a plane. Then there was another Paris, the snatched weekend away from the children when the dear husband and I met at Gatwick and raced down the wide corridors to catch our cheap flight (the last two seats) just before the gate closed. Waiting at the luggage carousel at Charles de Gaulle, I stood next to and chatted to a charming Diane Keaton.
Ah memories. These days they flutter by almost as often as thoughts.
p.s. And in case you're wondering, I made a start on tidying my study, a task I'll take up again today. Yes, I baked a cake and arranged some flowers for the house. The revision of my manuscript? Only got that done yesterday. Seeing as my goal was to finish by the end of May, you can see these things always take longer than I anticipate. But I'm happy.
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