Hello to all you lovely people.

Thank you Paul. Acceptance can be a healing and gentle response. In line with that, here are some words from Stephanie Dowrick in Every Day a New Beginning:

There isn't a solution for every problem.

Some problems have to be survived. Nothing more.

Wishing everybody peace today.

Go gently with yourselves.

🌻birdy

I go among trees and sit still.

All my stirring becomes quiet

around me like circles on water.

My tasks lie in their places

Where i left them, asleep like cattle ...

...

Then what I am afraid of comes.

I live for a while in its sight.

What i fear in it leaves it,

And the fear of it leaves me.

It sings, and I hear its song.

excerpt from "I go among trees and sit still" from Sabbaths by Wendell Berry

For the raindrop, joy is in entering the river ...

Travel far enough into sorrow, tears will turn into sighing;

When after heavy rain, the storm clouds disperse,

Is it not that they've wept themselves clear to the end?

From "Joy is in entering the river" by Ghalib

They are lovely Birdy.

Here are a few more that I like, and hope others do too:

1. "You haven't failed until you quit trying."

2. "Someday, everything will make perfect sense. So for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason."

3. "The pleasure of success feels best after experiencing the pain of failure."

Amanda

Hi Birdy and everyone

Great thread hun ☺

This was on a calendar yrs ago I put it in memory so will leave out some of it

"The clock of life is wound but once

No man has the power to know when the hands will stop

Da de da de da da

Place no faith in tomorrow

For then the hands may be still"

Tablet misbehaving can't do new sentences.

Thanks Amanda for your very encouraging offerings.

Your first one reminds me of "I haven't failed, I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" (Thomas Edison).

Your second one reminds me of a quote from the buddha: " when you realise how perfect everything is, you will throw back your head and laugh at the sky". Hmmm. That will be a good day when that happens don't you think 🤔?

Thanks Amanda 🌻birdy

Hey Deebs,

Thanks for your quote, da de da's and all!

It's a "timely" reminder (😉) to seize the day and to live it your way.

Thanks Deebs.

Your sentences came out perfectly. I messed up my last two poetry offerings (from Wendell Berry and Ghalib), they each were excerpts from poems, not one liners, i had them formatted nicely as poems but when i pressed post it went to pot.

🌻birdy

Such a beautiful thread Birdy. So thankful that you started it. It has brought a warmness to my heart and my soul.

My offering -

The path to your door

Is the path within:

Is made of animals,

Is lined by flowers,

Is lined by thorns,

Is stained with wine,

Is lit by the lamp of sorrowful dreams

Is washed with joy

Is swept by grief

Is blessed by the lonely traffic of art:

Is known by heart

Is known by prayer

Is lost and found

Is always strange

The path to your door.

Michael Leunig's A Common Prayer, 1990

Pamela

I love Leunig and have a couple of his books of poetry. I wrote the poem below in Japanese Haiku style. Only 17 syllables allowed, 5/7/5. Shortest form of poetry in the world. Perhaps that's what appeals.

The sun is hiding
But its warmth can still reach me.
The full light would burn.

It's meant to capture a moment like a snapshot. I enjoy writing in this style.

Alone in my garden.
My friends turn their faces to me,
And smile in the sun.

Mary

Beautiful poetry Mary. It is a lovely style of poetry and I see how it these two capture the moment.

Yes I too have 3 Leunig books of poems. I used to write poetry a long long time ago. Haven't even thought about it now. My creative outlet is through my photography and post production of the images. Also I love to experiment with cooking. Anyway going of track here.

Have a good day Mary.

Pamela

Dear Pamela,

Thank you so much for posting that beautiful Leunig poem. I copied it out into the front of my journal, it just washed through my heart.

I hope you will come here and read words when you need soothing and solace and a balm for your soul xo

🌻 birdy

Mary, your poetry is beautiful.

I especially love the second one, i often aist alone in my garden, with my friends - those lovely, silent, growing things.

🌻birdy

Thank you dear Birdy.

Yes I will be visiting your thread not just when I need soothing, solace and a balm for my soul. To also, follow yours and everyones lovely poetry when I'm already soothed :) Because of it's beauty..... Just it's sheer beauty.

Pamela

The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness and a deep loving concern.

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Hi Birdy and everyone,

What a fantastic idea for a thread!

I love what has been posted so far.

One of my favourite and motivating quotes:

"Peace IS

a daily, a weekly, a monthly process,

gradually changing OPINIONS,

slowly eroding old barriers,

quietly building new structures."

- John F. Kennedy

Hey Josh 😊

Thanks so much for joining this thread and for your encouraging contribution from jfk. Growing ourselves ... gently does it .. that's lovely.

🌻 birdy

Hi friends ❤

When you feel like you're taking two steps forward and three steps back?

Or like everything's awesome, and all of a sudden, everything's ... not?

Take heart :

We think that the point is to pass the test or overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don't really get solved. They come together and then they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It's just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.

Pema Chödrön - When things fall apart

🌻birdy

Another poem by Michael Leunig. One that my husband read at his mother's funeral

When the heart

Is cut or cracked or broken

Do not clutch it

Let the wound lie open

Let the wind

From the good old sea blow in

To bathe the wound with salt

And let it sting.

Let a stray dog lick it

Let a bird lean in the hold and sing

A simple song like a tiny bell

And let it ring.

🐝PamelaR

Dear 🐝Pamela,

Thank you for that beautiful Leunig poem. I really like the imagery in it ... i like everything about it.

To continue your and Mary's Leunig Fest:

Let it go,
Let it out,
Let it all unravel,
Let it free
And it will be
A path on which to travel.

Michael Leunig "Let It Go"

🌻birdy

Hi all

Really enjoying the poetry. I don't have a Leunig gem but I love this quote:

When you come to the edge of all the light you have, and must take a step into the darkness of the unknown, believe that one of two things will happen. Either there will be something solid for you to stand on or you will be taught how to fly-Patrick Overton

Dear 🌻 birdy

Thank you so much for that Leunig's poem. Guess what? That was going to be my next piece - great minds think alike. That too was recited for my MIL.

Here is one from the Zen Wisdom and other masters (little book):

The foolish reject what they see;

The wise reject what they think.

Zen saying.

🐝PamelaR

Thank you Summer Rose for posting that very encouraging quote, it's a lovely one 🌹

🌻birdy

Dear 🐝PamelaR,

Love that zen saying.

Reminds me of a poster i have that says "Don't believe everything you think".

And ha 😂 sorry i knicked your next offering. Great minds indeed 👍

🌻birdy

Hello friends,

This is from buddhist teacher and psychologist Jack Kornfield:

To bow to the fact of our life's sorrows and betrayals is to accept them; and from this deep gesture we discover that all life is workable. As we learn to bow, we discover that the heart holds more freedom and compassion than we could imagine.

❤ wishing peace for you all this evening ❤

🌻birdy

LOL - you're right great minds do think alike 👏 No need for sorry 🌻birdy. All very good!!

My offering today by Sogyal Rinpoche -

• Learning to meditate is the
• greatest gift you can give
• yourself in this life.

Yay!!!! Welcome Narelle😊😊😊

🌻birdy