Do not encumber your mind with useless thoughts. What good does it do to brood on the past or anticipate the future? Remain in the simplicity of the present moment….From the book Buddhist Offerings
watercolour
During the past few weeks, I have been reminded of the importance of remaining in the simplicity of the present moment.
My Aunt Peggy was one of those people who seemingly always lived this way. Recently, aged 97 and receiving hospice care, she succumbed and passed on. Given that I am her only surviving relative, I am currently involved in organising her funeral which means I will be away from here for a while longer.
Aunt Peggy as a young woman. 
I have been surrounded with strong, and unusual woman all my life – from my Grandmothers, to my Mother and Aunt Peggy.
Peggy had a great influence on my life. When I was just three years old and visiting my Grandmother in London, I saw one of Peggy’s sketch books, and it was at that moment that I knew I would be an artist.
I never heard her complain or say anything negative about others. She always encouraged me. I feel blessed to have had her in my life.
Peggy at 96
Nearly ten years ago, Peggy lost her only son, my cousin James – aged 57….and although I know it hurt her terribly she never complained. Although Peggy was not a religious woman in the conventional sense, she was deeply spiritual and believed that eventually she and James would be reunited…..
I anticipate being away from here for the next two weeks at least…..and during that time, I plan to surround myself and Peggy with magical hummingbirds…..She would like that:)
A Benton
I will be painting, writing, celebrating life and enjoying the company of dear friends during the next few weeks……
Once again I have been reminded through the untimely death of a good friend of the importance of making the very best of every moment we have.
Not to put off what we really want to do….but rather to take on life’s new adventures with a sense of excitement.
Not to wait for the perfect time to do something, because there never is a perfect time…just today.
“Follow your Bliss” – another quote from Joseph Campbell.
And so today I follow the example of the magical hummingbirds, soaring above all the madness and drinking from the sweet nectar of life……..:)
A bientôt
As we go about our daily lives, just like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle being revealed, the seed sprouts ideas that give us more information…..This can happen at any time.
Ultimately we hope to experience the ‘Ah Ha’ moment. That exquisite time when the completed jigsaw puzzle is revealed in our mind’s eye……At this point, we can see and feel the rhythms and flow of the concept. Finer details are revealed as we commence work.
The more we exercise and practise our creative thinking, regardless of what discipline we are involved in, the easier and more fluent this process will become. Playing is a key element in revealing vital clues.
“Just imagine becoming the way you used to be as a very young child, before you understood the meaning of any word, before opinions took over your mind. The real you is loving, joyful, and free. The real you is just like a flower, just like the wind, just like the ocean, just like the sun.” Don Miguel Ruiz
All of life in interconnected. Mother Nature and the Magical Hummingbirds remind us of this as they work together rather than in opposition.
Most cultures teach us that safety is found in separation and disconnection.
Mother Nature has given us the perfect example of what happens when we respect the laws of interconnection and also what happens when we don’t……..
Yesterday I visited my good friends Greta and Martin. We met 12 years ago shortly after I moved to London from Wales. It was a Sunday afternoon and I was giving a portrait demonstration for Artslink – a group I had recently connected with. After the demonstration, Greta and Martin introduced themselves and asked if I would be interested in giving a workshop for SOFAP (Fulham/Hammersmith Arts Society) to which I said yes. They also asked if I was related to Carol Weight, who it turned out was one of the early founders of the Society. In fact, Carel was my Father’s cousin.
I will always remember that first workshop….because I knew in every fibre of my mind and body that I was in the right place at that moment in time. Subsequently, during the past 12 years, so much of the work I have done and people I have met in London can be traced back to that Sunday afternoon when I met Greta and Martin. Chance or fate?
Recently, I have been experiencing a glut of ‘coincidences’ – or are they? Six Degrees of Separation is the term we use to describe such happenings when we meet others for the first time who we find are in some way connected to our lives.
I am quite clear that when these ‘coincidences’ occur in a glut…that the hummingbirds are indeed weaving their magic…..
