Fields of Gold

Sting is playing right now. It shuffled to him and he’s singing to me.  Just me.  I had a crush on Sting when I was younger (well maybe there is still a hint of crush present). He’s so cute.  How could you not crush on him?  He was on my wall in college above my bed and must have listened to his cassette tape (yes I'm dating myself I know)  three gazillion times in my little pink boom box I got as a graduation gift. My poor roommate, Tina.   Fields of Gold is one of my favorites.  The lyrics are beautiful and simple.  

You’ll remember me when the west wind moves upon the fields of barley.

You’ll forget the sun in his jealous sky as we walk in the fields of gold.

………..

Will you stay with me, will you be my love among the fields of barley…

……….

See the children run as the sun goes down among the fields of gold…

It’s really a lovely tune.  Love in a field of barley.  Who knew? 

Life really can be simple if we let it.  It can be a field of barley blowing in the wind and appreciate it for its simplicity….nature moving with the wind.  Love loving in a field of barley.  The field of gold shines for all to see, to embrace and notice. 

Hold the moments of simplicity close.  These are the moments that are real and true.  These moments are the glimpses into heaven that are here on earth with us now.  A field of barley blowing in the wind shining in all its golden beauty is a gift.

  

Life Requires Effort

10 Tips for Being an Efficient Mom

7 Things You Can’t Live Without

5 Ways to Get Rich Quick

6 Shortcuts in the Kitchen

3 Steps to Happiness

It all sounds so easy doesn’t it?  Quick. Fast. Instant. Well, you know the saying, “If it’s sounds too good to be true, then (say it with me) it probably is.” 

I always laugh when the morning news shows have “experts” on to give their handy dandy lists of shortcuts to a better life.  It really makes me chuckle.  Are there people out there getting their notebooks and pencils out to take notes?  Do they really think that if we do their “Top 3 This” or  their “Best 5 That”, that our lives will be better? Easier?  Come on people! Reality Check.

You cannot buy three homes for zero down and think that is a safe investment because a book says so.  Buying a home takes a great deal of planning and hard work.  You give up eating out to save that $40 you would have spent.  You go for power walks outside and give up the gym membership.  You sacrifice some of the fluff to have what you want later.

You cannot read a book on parenting and expect the methods they suggest to work perfectly every time.  Being a parent is a full-time job and gosh darn it, it’s hard.  No book will prepare you for a girl breaking your son’s heart.  You just have to be available and fill them will all the love and support you have at that very moment. Chapter eight doesn’t cover that. Parenting is the hardest “learn as you go” job out there.  Sometimes you just have to punt and hope for the best.

 

I guess I’m just a believer that you reap what you sow.  Life requires effort.  

You have to plan ahead for vacations. You have to empty the cat litter box. You have to service your car, go to the dentist and pack the kids’ lunches the night before.  You have to wash the dirty clothes and some days eat rice and corn because that’s what’s in the pantry. If you’re always looking for a shortcut, then you’re probably missing out on some of the best life has to offer.  If life was always easy, then what would be the point?  Would we appreciate the homes we saved so hard for?  Would we feel as close in our families if we didn’t have to overcome difficulties together? I don’t think so. 

Don’t always try to take the short path, the fast lane, or order the glossy finish.  Life is in the journey, the walking, and the rough stones that cover the path each and every day.  Enjoy the effort. Enjoy your life.

FEBRUARY VOCAB CHALLENGE 101

Day 5 (yes, I know it's the 7th - bear with me)

dyspeptic: (adjective) Having a bad temper, gloomy, irritable

Auspicious Symbols

Remember the book I told you about, The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin?  It’s become more of a textbook for me lately and really gives me food for thought on being happy. One of the ideas she discusses is how Buddhism has eight auspicious symbols to represent the teachings of Buddha and reaching enlightenment. When I think about my life, I’ve acquired symbols that represent me without even knowing it.  So I wanted to share my own list of auspicious (yes, I’ve used that word twice already, but it’s a beautiful word) symbols and what they mean to me.  I’ve always known these things were important to me, but never thought much of it until I did this exercise and put them down in writing.   I hope it will inspire you to think of what represents you and your life and to surround yourself with them to inspire and encourage you on your road to finding happiness in your life. 

Stephani’s Eight Auspicious Symbols of Life

Rain

Rain washes away the old and freshens everything around us.  To remind me that we have many opportunities to start again and begin something new.           

Heart Shaped Rocks

Love is everywhere and in all things, even a rock.  To remind me that love is always there and you just have to keep your eyes open to see it.

Books

Knowledge, hope, inspiration and guidance are there and available at any moment in books.  To remind me that we are never too old to learn something new or to feed our souls with information.

Pears

The color inspires me to be who I am.  To remind me that I am unique.  Just like the Pantone color 578.

A New Notebook and Pencil

Each day is a clean sheet waiting for the writing/creativity to be placed upon it.

To remind me of all the possibilities in the world.

A Bird

Even the smallest of creatures bring joy to the space around us.  To remind me that the little things matter.

Pearls

Nature is an amazing place to just “be”. God has created so many wonders for us to enjoy.  To remind me of all things natural and gracefully put upon this earth.

A Tree

A tree is strong and supported by its roots.  To remind me that you can do anything you want with the love and support of your family and friends around you.

photo credit

Soul Space

We just returned from our two-week vacation last Sunday and had a wonderful time seeing the family.  Great evening chatter, wonderful Pakistani food, parties, dressing up, sleeping in, fishing, amusement park rides, reading, baby holding, airplane peanuts, tennis playing, kayaking, and water sliding galore.   It was truly an enjoyable vacation.

Why then, has it taken me almost a week to recuperate from our trip?  It’s now Saturday evening, and I’m just beginning to feel the energy coming back into my body. I think I’m just in need of some soul space.   Time to reflect. Time to be quiet. 

When you’re on vacation, at least with children, the vacation is generally focused on them and their entertainment needs. We try to do things for us as well, but always try to keep their wants and wishes in mind.  That can be draining.  When we’d really like to just read on the deck, they’d rather play soccer, cousins against aunts and uncles. (You know who wins that coin flip.) 

I think this week has been one of catching up (bill paying, laundry, checkbook balancing, grocery shopping, friends over and the like) and a week to let my mind wander a bit.  It’s been refreshing to not have plans everyday and not have to be somewhere at a specific time. 

This week, I’ve played Boggle with my sons, played solitaire with my husband each evening, left two loads of laundry to be folded, read on the couch with my sons, made homemade pound cake, read on the deck, and searched for strawberries in my strawberry patch. (I think the birds have discovered them and so won’t be making homemade strawberry preserves anytime soon.)  I needed this week to stretch my soul a bit and listen to the sun rise.

I know that very shortly, school schedules will be in full force and new markers and notebooks will inundate our lives.  So, tonight I’m going to enjoy a hot bubble bath and read on the deck in my pj’s with my son and watch the sun set on a beautiful week.  My soul is spacious today.

Today I Saw...

Observations of the day…

Watched a woman stand smack in the middle of a breezeway (the only entrance and exit) into a school atrium and was completely oblivious of everyone trying to squeeze around her to get in or out.  Clueless.

Saw a father sneak up behind his 5 year old and scoop him up and kiss him 20 times on his cheek.

Watched a red fox sniff at every bush in our back yard and then wander out into the street.

Smiled as our new neighbor went out of her way to roll down her window and wave at me as I pulled up behind her at the stop sign this morning.

Listened to a kind man reduce my labor bill because they didn’t have the part they told me they did making my car repair take longer.

Observed my sons play outside together and just “be”.

Watched the tops of the trees blow and make the wind whistle through my wind chimes.

Saw a mother help her child tie her shoe three times until the bunny ears were just the right size.

Observed a teenage girl texting on her pink sparkly phone while pulling her little sister in a wagon across the street.

Laughed as the street sweeper went down the street, making more of a mess behind him than he was cleaning up.

Noticed three large moving trucks pull into our neighborhood.