AUTUMN GLORY
I am fortunate to live in a beautiful part of Connemara in Ireland. My daily walks can take me in any direction, much like life. If I turn left, I can amble along by the river, then decide whether to walk to Lake Corrib or continue the river walk. I can stroll through the woods and return to the village. If I turn right, I can walk to the waterfall and circle the village. There is no right or wrong direction.
WHICH DIRECTION?
No matter which direction I choose I see nature in all its glory. At this time of year trees are shedding their summer clothes exposing beautiful branches that still hold a few delicate leaves.
Golden leaves are scattered at my feet in a lush carpet, the holly bush is a profusion of ruby red berries, and I am surrounded by landscape in countless shades of green and gold, a profusion of emerald, jade, agate and malachite jewels which gleam and glitter on a frosty morning and which the sun rays seek out to remind me that Autumn is not a season of farewell, rather a season of rest and mindfulness. There are many times in our lives when we need to take stock of our lives. Take time out even a few hours and check in with yourself.
MINDFULNESS
Accepting who we are as individuals with all our idiosyncrasies and eccentricities, who our family and friends are, and seeing everyone as a whole person through the eyes of love will bring so much joy and serenity into our lives. When we walk on the carpet of leaves, we can choose to panic in case we slip, or we can choose to feel and see their true beauty. When we walk on a narrow path by the river, we can choose to feel fearful about slipping and falling in, or we can choose to idle a while and watch it flow, sometimes smoothly and other times creating a froth as it tumbles over the rocks.
And so, it is with our lives: sometimes smooth and sometimes seemingly out of control. Idle a while on the path of life; press pause, look at your options and go with the flow. Allow you inner instincts to guide you. Allow the universe in all its glory to guide you. And whatever deity you believe in, send a text ‘HELP,’ and allow that deity to help you. Pray is another word for implore or request earnestly. So, pray!
LET ME SEE ONLY THROUGH YOUR EYES
I have been asked over the years to write verses for people which they gift to friends or family. Sometimes they want a simple verse as a daily meditation. These words are part of a verse which I wrote for a delightful and caring young lady, words I repeat myself daily.
‘Let me see only through your eyes,
Let me speak only through your lips,
Let me hear only through your ears.
© Helena Abrahams
SEEMS SIMPLISTIC
Our emotions colour everything we see, like the Autumn light which paints the landscape in shades of pale gold, shades of grey or monochrome. We panic or feel aggrieved when colour is seemingly leached from our lives; when the world seems grim and harsh. We get stuck in a mire of gloom and doom.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Allow it! Pause and think for a moment about what you would do if you were out walking and your feet got stuck in mire or you slipped on the leaves? You would feel a myriad of emotions: anger, irritation, fear and perhaps shock. What action would you take?
You would make every effort to step out of the mire, or if you had slipped you would have got up and carried on. And if you couldn’t get up what options do you have? Call out for help! Phone for help! Do everything you possibly can to remove yourself from that situation. There is always someone nearby who can help. Choose the option to reach out. Choose the option to ask. If you don’t ask you will never know the answer. Think about that.
GIFT OF WORDS
I wrote this verse many years ago and it has been shared with people across the oceans. One lady who was Moslem asked me to write a verse for her. I told her I didn’t know anything about her religion and wouldn’t know what to write.
She picked out many of my spiritual verses and said with a smile: ‘Just change the word God to Allah.’ She became one of my best clients with weekly requests for ‘Gifts of Words’ as I called them. The verses below, God’s Signature and God Smiled at me Today were the first ones she chose.
GOD’S SIGNATURE
Listen!
You can hear the wind rustle in the trees,
The sound of the rain, gently restoring, washing the earth’s plains.
Look!
You can see the sunlight, rainbow colours glinting, shining through the clouds.
Feel!
The wind caress your face, the sun warm your heart.
The depth of the sea,
The glory of the skies,
The green of the leaves,
The Autumn barren-ness waiting to be renewed – reborn,
Yet rich in hues of gold and shades of brown.
Colours – colours of nature,
Nature in all its glory, in abundance.
Truly this is God,
God’s signature upon the earth.
© Helena Abrahams
RETURN THAT SMILE
Here is a verse to remind you that someone is smiling at you, or thinking about you with love, or wishing you well. Be open to these thoughts and feelings. And never be afraid to smile back.
Allow your inner peace to transcend daily chores, or those irritating moments when you can’t find a parking place or all the myriad bits and bobs that can sometimes overwhelm us. Just for a few moments close your eyes, take a deep breath, exhale and calm. Allow serenity to flow through you.
Your day will be less stressful and enjoyable. Remember someone is smiling at you, thinking about you with love. It may be a neighbour, a family member, a friend, a child, or a deity you believe in, a universal power or an angel. Precious moments to grasp and hold.
GOD SMILED AT ME TODAY
God Smiled at me today,
A radiant smile which lit up the whole world
The sun’s rays, dancing moonbeams, through the windowpane.
God smiled at me today,
A refreshing smile which cleansed the earth and washed my dusty soul,
Cleansing rain-drops from the heavens.
God smiled at me today,
And took pleasure in my pleasure
At the sound of music, the colours of the earth,
The joy of my children’s laughter, the love of my family,
All imbued with so much peace and joy,
God’s love.
God smiled at me today and opened my eyes,
He made me see,
He made me hear
He made me,
God smiled at me today and
I smiled back.
© Helena Abrahams
TAKE THAT FIRST STEP
Whether you want to lose weight, get fit, embrace sobriety from alcohol and drugs, recover from depression, grief or so many more of life’s hardships; take that first step. Have you ever seen a toddler take his or her first step.
They are wobbly and uncertain. They fall down, but they pick themselves up and try again. The second step to the third and within days they don’t have to think about it. Before long they are running. As adults we sometimes need more time.
We have layered our minds with a myriad of negative re-runs of the ‘bad times’ in our lives, playing them over and over again. We use them as excuses and say we’re not ready yet. It’s time now.
Take that first step, take another and another. See them all as first steps in your journey. Slowly but surely you will reach your destination. Reach out. Move forward and don’t look back. Your goal is in view.
