Walks of Life

lizaaitken

I’m not religious as such, well not signed up to any specific religion anyway.  I’m eclectic in my beliefs and take what I like from different schools of thought, religions and ways of life.  I belive in a higher power, something bigger than us, something at the moment, beyond my comprehension.  I don’t think I necessarily need to know what is beyond, just that I am going in the right direction, doing my best and above all making my life worth while.  In a way it’s right that it’s a mystery to us, because given all the answers we would act accordingly and maybe not be as true to ourselves.

If I could invent my own religion, pathway or walk of life as I prefer to say, it would be based on kindness and love.  These qualities are the important aspects I take from other religions, love one another, send out kind thoughts and deeds and look after each other and the planet we live on.  It wouldn’t demand worship as I don’t believe any god would demand worship apart from a recognition and love of the source of from where we come.  Loving ourselves and each other is the key.  Just think if everybody just loved, weapons would be put down, famine would cease and misery would disappear, it’s simple to me love is the only answer, it’s just taking us a long time to work this out.

Religion does fascinate me and I collect little bits and pieces I find along the way.  I have a shelf of religious and spiritual artefacts, they are all mixed up and living nicely alongside one another.  Wouldn’t it be nice if mankind could do the same?

I think there have been many great prophets throughout the ages, they have walked with us and tried to show us the way.  I think there are some great prophets today, those that teach love and peace and I’m sure a few more to come.

I often go and sit in satsang enquiries, buddhist meditations, various church services, shamanism workshops, healing sessions and sign up for all sorts any energy workshops.  I go because in these places I meet nice people and I like to surround myself with good people.  Okay, I do meet some oddballs, like the fairy lady but she’s another story.

As much as all the above interests and fascinates me, I think we are our own best teachers.  We need to experience our real selves, the knowing self inside of us before we can find out answers outside, so it’s important to sit with ourselves, give ourselves space and listen to what’s inside.

I feel we are all connected, that connection runs back to a source which is somehow connected to the universe around us.  I joke about the universe providing, but on a serious note it has not let me down yet so I am trusting in it more and more.

 

Cake – DP

lizaaitken

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It’s my birthday on Thursday, I’m not having cake this year, I’m not because I’m going to Barcelona for a long weekend instead!

I struggle with birthdays, always have since I was an adult as they have never been as special as my mum used to make them when I was a child.  I was so special on my birthday, the world revolved around me.  Mum would bring fantastic boxes of cream cakes tied up with ribbon home from London’s West End, where she worked.  These cakes were the best you could get back then and we didn’t only have one.

As an adult I started to unconsciously sabotage my own birthday, I just didn’t think it would be any good, I would be special enough or anyone would really care, so I put obstacles in the way and true to my predictions I was usually miserable.

The last few years I have gone away with one of my best friends for the weekend and it’s been grand!  My philosophy is you can’t age if your out of the country!

Last year I was dreading my birthday  because it was the first birthday since my mum passed away.  In the morning I put up the card mum had bought me the previous year along with my other cards.  I was off to Nice the following day but on the day I didn’t have any plans apart from seeing a couple of girlfriends for lunch.  I just took it easy and it was a lovely day.

The expectation had somehow gone with mum’s passing, she took my fear of birthdays with her.  When you loose someone you love, nothing will really ever be the same again and it puts thing into perspective.  I had a lovely day because I didn’t set myself up not to, I just took it in my stride.

My case is packed for Barcelona, I’ve put mum’s card safely in my case to put up on the day and I’m going to have a lovely long weekend away 🙂

 

 

Butterflies & Feathers

lizaaitken

A butterfly flew in the door, I knew it was my mum.

A visit dancing through, with lots of love and fun.

It’s good to see her flying now, no longer in her chair.

I’m happy that she’s healthy, since stepping over there.

~

Sometimes she’s a feather, so very light and bright.

She floats on air and drops on me, not a bird in sight.

It’s usually to tell me, that I’m heading the right way.

It’s how she keeps in contact, since she went away.

~

In winter she’s a robin, with breast of brightest red.

She sits upon the woodpile, sings while I’m in bed.

She’ll always come to see me, I know that to be true.

Until one day, I step behind, that same doorway too.

~

 

Pathways of my Mind

lizaaitken

 

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 I step onto the pathway, I check my footings sure

I’ve taken many turnings, as sure there will be more

Check to see I am grounded, I want to stay on track

I focus where I want to go, I can as easily turn back

I have to watch for pitfalls, my mind I must direct

 To remember where I go, at the time that I reflect

My whole life is pathways, of one sort of a kind

The real and the emotional, so many of my mind

I’ll take another step today, to grow a little more

A pathway will present again, of that I can be sure.

 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

A sidewalk to me is unfamiliar, I don’t think I’ve ever really used the term even in short the time I spent living in the US and Canada. For todays prompt of I’m changing it to pathway and I hope you’ll forgive me, but pathway is more familiar and I’m not jumping off my pathway to walk the sidewalk 😉

 

The Pull of Love

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In a magic moment, I found what it was to love. 

I did not find it in a book or in the skies above.

I found it the memories, the ones that I hold dear.

If only I had know back then, what today is clear.

Love is not so obvious, it takes you by surprise.

Returns as you are unaware, comes back  in disguise.

It creeps up when your sleeping, or in another land

Then finally you feel it’s pull and you understand

Melancholy Afternoons

lizaaitken

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I’m having a melancholy day, it’s raining and cloudy with no sign of the sun and I’ve just put the heating on.  I’m caught up in melodies from the past from todays Daily Prompt.

Music always takes me to my mum, I’ve been talking to her a lot today, thinking about her and playing her songs in my head.  Would you believe I just sung to her ashes, I laughed when I did it because I know she would laugh too.  I’m not sure why I have her ashes but I do, it’s comfortable as it is the only physical thing I have left of her.  Not that I believe she is in any way connected to her ashes, because she’s not.  I have two pots of ashes on my shelf, it’s a back shelf and high up, I don’t have a shrine and it’s not morbid.  Anyway mum’s urn wears a large string of pearls, wrapped around a couple of times, mum never went out without a statement necklace.  Mum was incredibly fashionable, as a child I used to think fashion designers followed her around with sketch pads, as what she wore one year was in fashion the next.  I wear a necklace, handbag or belt of mums most days, as well as fashionable she was a bit of a shopaholic in her time.  Bill, my step-father who followed mum a month later wears a ribbon of tartan to match the tartan trousers he wore every day.  As you can probably guess, my parents were not ordinary in any way.  I think I probably channel their eccentricity as I’m weirder every day

That’s the thing with writing, it takes you places, today because of the melody prompt it took me back to so many memories, music being such a big part of my family and then from there to the feelings memories bring with them, warm, funny, sad and deep.

When I say I’m melancholy I’m not depressed, desolate or gloomy, I’m just with my thoughts and comfortable there.  I don’t want to party and my plan for the evening is comfort with a lovely bath, candles and yes, music.  I think it’s good to get in touch with your feelings sometimes, it slows us down and reminds us what’s real in this fast paced world we live in.