Beautifully Simple

The new year has started

and I try to make life simple, beautiful and happy.

Often we complicate life and it is not necessary.

Make it simple

enjoy the long hugs

the walks in the fresh air

the sunrise

the flowers along the road

sitting in peace

a chat with a friend

a smile for a stranger

feeling the breeze in your hair.

 

Have a beautifully simple Day!

and

Have a simply beautiful Day!

 

Happy New Year 2020

Wishing all my friends all over the world

a wonderful and happy new year!

May it be filled with love, good health

and full of happy memorable moments!

 

Sending you all my love and

thank you for your friendship over the years!

cartoon from Sketches in stillness 

Remembering Christmas

My Christmas Memories

When I was a child in Germany

we celebrated Christmas in the evening 24th December.

Dad would get a real tree in the morning and we were allowed to help

decorating it with our handmade decorations

like paperchains, straw stars and lanterns etc.

We made candle holders out of walnut shells.

Then we were sent out the room for a while.

We had to listen for a little bell.

Once we heard the bell we went into the room with anticipation.

The tree was lit (with real candles) presents under or next to the tree.

We did not open presents then.

Mum sat at the piano and played Christmas carols, we sang to it.

Then us children played Christmas carols on the recorder with my mum.

It was a wonderful happy, warm and peaceful feeling.

Then a record was put on with the Christmas story and a choir singing carols,

only then we started to open presents.

Everyone was happy, Dad watching the tree carefully with the candles.

We loved to blow them all out.

After all this Mum served a lovely small dinner with filled Vol-au vents,

and home baked Christmas cookies.

We spent a happy family evening together.

Always a magical Christmas for us, a special time,

and I remember it fondly filled with so much love.

 

Christmas tree 1969

Christmas Tree 1983

Today is …. #48

… a day for gratitude….

 

Another year comes to an end.

Reflecting on the past year.

We have dealt with ups and downs,

family or work related,

maybe illness, loss and sadness.

We are growing stronger every year dealing with emotions

and difficult situations.

 

I wanted to express my gratitude to all of you

my wonderful friends around the globe.

You helped me cope with many things,

you made me happy,

you were there for me.

My heartfelt thank you.

I am so grateful for you being here.

I send you so much love and many hugs.

Thank you for being with me on my journey!

Today is …. #47

… a day for being a positive change…

 

If each one of us is a drop of rain,
Together we will form an ocean of kindness.
Together, we will be the positive changes,
we wish to see in the world.

Let’s be the start of the ripple in the ocean!

Today is …. #46

… a day to be a beginner…

Where could you practice to be a beginner in your life today.

What don’t you know how to do.

Bake a cake?

Ride a bike?

Try a different language?

Make your own bread?

Make Christmas decorations?

There are many ideas you can try,

and perhaps you love it and do it more often.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today is …. #45

… a day for a dream journey…

I sit down comfortably,

close my eyes and

go on a journey in my mind.

Go anywhere you like,

somewhere where you have been

or somewhere you like to go, imagine how it could be.

Let your imagination go.

Enjoy the sights, smells, colours and sounds.

When you open your eyes,

you feel happy and relaxed.

 

 

Today is …. #44

… a day for dancing in the rain/puddle…

put on your wellies,

go outside and walk consciously through puddles,

dance through them,

it is fun,

feels good

and relieves stress.

found on google

 

Today is …. #43

… a day for sending warmth through words…

 

Say something nice,

something happy,

something kind,

to people around you

without special reason.

These words give warmth

from your heart to their heart.

 

 

 

 

 

Today is …. #42

….. a day for Mother Teresa’s Anyway Poem

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;

It was never between you and them anyway.