The grass is greener

Conversations these days begin with ‘when are you leaving?’ I am not. I believe home is where your heart is and soul resides, now more than ever.   

People try to get away from it all...You wish you could too…you can get away anytime you like…. By going within. Marcus Aurelius  If Home is where the heart is. Pliny the Elder.  Get busy watering your own grass so as not to notice whether it's greener elsewhere. Karon Waddell

This week take time to journal, to meditate, do yoga or simply walk somewhere new to discover that Peace comes from within. Buddha

A time to turn inwards, to reflect

Every leaf speaks bliss to me fluttering from the autumn tree. E. Bronte

Today we celebrate the fall equinox, when the length of the day equals night. It signals the changing of seasons and turn inwards. We begin a time of darkness, of contemplation and of rest.

I invite you to reflect with gratitude and Find contentment by paying attention to what we already have. Anon Take a lesson from nature. Trees show us how lovely it is to get rid of old things. Anon And remember life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the air. FS Fitzgerald

Autumn is more the season of the soul than of nature. F. Nietzche.  Take this time to realign to your purpose and allow your inner light to shine as the sun recedes.

Listen to words penned 3000 years ago and brought to life by the Byrds, To every season turn turn turn…

Simplify continued

Simplify - to make something less complicated.
Determination and an unbiased assistant made my closet cleanse painless. The empty space is liberating. I am on a roll.  Over the years I asked ‘is it beautiful, is it useful, can I live without it’ as a basis for decision making. The reality is at each stage in our lives there is a time and place. We outgrow fashions, we cling to the past, we validate memories through accumulated possessions.  How much do we need?

All I need is the air that I breathe.

There is no doubt that A simple life gives birth to more clarity, inner peace and meaningful relationships. Margo Vader. Then contentment has to come. Dalai Lama

I will continue my quest one day, one shelf at a time and invite you to do the same. So that we too may Manifest plainness, embrace simplicity, reduce selfishness, have few desires.  Lao Tzu

Lessons from my cat

There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.
Albert Schweitzer

Sigmund Freud said Time spent with cats is never wasted.  Garrison Keillor added Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a function. So what can we learn from cats?

Cats are connoisseurs of comfort. James Herriot.
They are experts at putting themselves first, maintain impeccable hygiene, get plenty of rest, eat sensibly, sleep in the sun and know where to find a warm lap.

Just watching my cats can make me happy. Paula Cole
They possess an innate sense of curiosity, playfulness, problem solving and determination. 

The ideal of calm exists in a sitting cat. Jules Renard
They are fully present in the moment at all times.  

A cat's very nearness is a healing song. -Shannon Hale
Cats have a high degree of empathy, to sit, listen and unconditionally offer their presence. 

To err is human, to purr is feline.― Robert Byrne
Cats are the only animal that purrs. Purring expresses love, affection and happiness and the frequency of purring stimulates bone growth. 

To be honest, the reason I have my cats is to force myself to think about something other than myself.- Marie Helvin
Cats epitomise independence yet live a life of simple values - food, shelter, family and love.

In the middle of a world that has been a bit mad, a cat walks with confidence. Rosanne Amberson.  As do we. This too shall pass. Take these lessons to heart and be well.