Tag Archives: spirituality

Share Your World Monday 8 January 2024

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Here are my answers to this week’s questions from pensitivity101

1.  When you look out of your kitchen window, what do you see?

I don’t have a great view outside my kitchen window. It looks onto the side yard where the washline is. There is also a great big Cape Gooseberry bush that just appeared one day. I did not plant it so it must have come from a pip. It’s really in the wrong place as it is right next to the side door of the garage. I pulled it out and tried to get it to grow in the vegetable patch – but it didn’t. However, another one sprang up in its place – perhaps it migrated back from the veggie patch (LOL) Anyway, I’ve just left it and kept it trimmed. It grows really quickly and bears lots of berries so I shouldn’t complain!

You can see the caravan in the garage, the gas cupboard on the left, the Cape Gooseberry Bush which needs a trim and the retractible washline, 


2.  When was the last time you used public transport?

Ha! Good question! Public transport where I live is non-existent. The last time I used public transport was in London. I am over 60 but not a British citizen and yet I had an amazing experience. I didn’t realize that my travel card (Oyster Card, I think it’s called) had run out of funds. I hopped on a bus and swiped it only to be informed by the driver that it was empty. So I started digging in my purse to pay but he said, “Don’t worry – just take a seat.” I’m sure it was because of my age as local oldies travel free on the busses.
3.  Do you prefer cut flowers or a potted plant?

Cut flowers are indeed lovely but I seldom have them in my home. I don’t have many potted plants either as we are away so often and they need attention. Despite neglect, they have survived!

Vetplante thrive on neglect
I’m afraid this one did not do well while we were away – it needs a block of ice once a week which my tenants gave it but perhaps it needed a bit more?


4.   Do you believe in Karma?

The way I understand Karma is that it is the epitome of cause and effect so it sounds so smug to say, “Yes, I believe in Karma.” It’s as if people who exude goodness will have goodness visited upon them while those who don’t have awful things happen to them and that is not always true is it? And yet so often I see kindness is rewarded with kindness and those with positive attitudes tend to have happier lives. I do believe that Karma will ensure that evil people will get their just deserts in the end and that even if someone seems blameless and experiences bad luck it doesn’t mean things won’t eventually turn out well. Bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad. It’s not really for us to judge.


Gratitude:

I am grateful to be back home safely after travelling on the roads during the silliest of seasons. Good Karma? 
I am also grateful for my amazing children who ensured we all had a relaxed and enjoyable holiday together. Three generations together isn’t always easy but we have had so much practice that I think we’ve got it right :-) 

I know things are going to change now that the grandkids are all grown up but we have been so privileged to have had such a close relationship with them all these years that we can cope with whatever happens from here on. I believe that the future years still hold much joy for us all.

JusJoJan 2024 #2 Gregorian

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Here I go with the second day of JusJoJan. Thank you Willow for today’s prompt – Gregorian.

When I hear the word Gregorian I think of the chanting of monks as they worship at chapel. But it is not only Christian monks who chant prayers or hymns. In almost every religion it seems that the worshippers will chant at some stage or another. Deep down I understand this because the sound is beautiful and perhaps that is the point. It evokes a feeling of peace and of wonder. Perhaps, too, it helps the worshipper to concentrate on what he is saying. Children seem to learn when they chant, rap, sing or recite in rhyme. Does chanting do something to our brain waves? I taught at a school where we were encouraged to use music, singing, chanting and movement in our lessons. It seems that such activities calm children and give them a sense of well-being so that the learning process is stimulated. I certainly found that when my small learners became restless an action song would do wonders to get them back on track.

Another thought evoked from the word Gregorian was that of our modern-day calendar. It has only been used since October 1582 and some days in some months had to be lost when it first replaced the Julian calendar which was similar but not as accurate. One wonders what kind of disruption this caused especially when it came to celebrating birthdays. Imagine being told – sorry your birthday is not on the calendar this year! Well, of course, this happens to those born on the 29 February as they only get their actual birthdate every four years! But at least they know this in advance.

So thank you Pope Gregory XIII – we have a calendar that is used in most parts of the world and is pretty accurate as far the solar year is concerned because at the turn of a century, you don’t have a leap year unless the year is divisible by 400. Thus,1700, 1800, and 1900 were not leap years but 1600 and 2000 were.