life lessons – lizalizaskysaregrey

Savouring the Moment

July 17, 2017 lizaaitken

Walking out to the beach I was disappointed to see the tide was in, not only was it in, it was still climbing. I knew this would be the case but came anyway, hoping the very reliable tide time tables were wrong. You see, I just love low tide, love to walk along the shore, through the sand and rock pools just being, the silence and stillness the low tide brings sooths my soul, it slows my breath and allows me to be. The vast expanse of beach provides a sense of freedom I can’t find anywhere else.

I savour each moment on the beach when the tide is out, I walk across sand that was hidden under the sea, I pad through the land of sea creatures. I am in Poseidons territory and yet he cannot claim me for his own as I walk across sand.

You get it, I was disappointed. I sat down on the pebbles and looked at the sea, waves crashing towards me. Closer and closer they came, beckoning me, teasing me. The foam of each wave, like lace, covering the shingle, pebbles sparkling like jewels as it once again subsided. The sea, I felt was dressing the land for the occasion.

I sat and watched, immersed myself in the event and thought about integration, pondered on the blending of opposites. Nature teaches us so much, everything we look to in nature has a different message.

If we spend our lives doing the same thing again and again, we miss out on expanding our minds, we miss moments that are extraordinary. Sometimes it’s right to look at things a different way, shift our perspective a little.

As the sea came closer and closer, I watched the pebbles, once dried from the sun disappear into the sea, only to remain as a memory. A piece of seaweed rolled on the tide to land by my feet, a final bow on the costume.

No longer disappointed I left for home, realising as I did, that each moment teaches us something new, to savour each and every one of them.

Life happens when we are waiting for something else, if we don’t experience each moment, we might miss out. We might be so preoccupied with one thing that we miss everything else.

Isn’t nature a wonderful teacher 😊

Nature Lessons 349

July 10, 2017 lizaaitken

These lines that appear, come to us through experience, these lines teach us understanding. Trace your fingers gently across them and you will always find your way.

~ Liza

Lessons in the Dark

July 7, 2017 lizaaitken

Even the dark path can be the right way, when we learn from the mistakes we make. Some of the pathways we tread through life lead to dead ends, but in reaching them we learn something. Not all our lessons come easily, not all are taught in the light, some need us to travel through the darkness for a while.

Sometimes it doesn’t feel like the right way, sometimes we think there might have been an easier option, this indeed might be the case but not everything worthwhile comes easily. Listen to your inner voice, listen from within your heart, for only then will you find the right way.

~ Liza

The Field

May 23, 2017 lizaaitken

Life is like walking barefooted across a field. Wild flowers spread out across the field in front of us, some in the sunshine and those under the tree. Each flower we come across is a different experience, a person we meet, a moment in time.

Each flower is a lesson, a message from the divine, a memory coming to the surface. We cannot possibly experience each and every flower, there are too many to encounter, some will be here next time we cross.

Make the most of each flower you see on your way across the field, look closely at it, see how it shimmers in the sun, listen to it but do not pick it. As you reach the other side, take a deep breath, hold onto what you have learnt, it may be a while before you cross again.

~ Liza

Nature Lessons 218

April 4, 2017 lizaaitken

At times we have to stand up for what we believe in, hold our heads up, stand out from the crowd and speak our truth. Change will only come about when we remain true to ourselves and true to our values.

~ Liza

To Win

March 20, 2017 lizaaitken

You reach a point in life where you realise that it is not necessary to win at everything, sometimes winning isn’t helpful to our growth either, sometimes to loose is to learn.

We are programmed to win, sometimes we cheat to get there, it’s instilled in us from an early age that we have to be the best, even if this means taking out our opponents along the way. All our childhood games revolve around winning, from board games like snakes and ladders to imaginary games like cowboys and indians, doctors and nurses, the objective to solve the puzzle or win the day.

Years ago I started a bit of a tradition at my sons school sports day in the parents egg and spoon race. I did this by throwing the egg over my head and belting to the finish line to win. The children cheered loudly and half the parents followed my lead, a new tradition was born. I laughed and told my son our family motto was to win, if it meant cheating that was fine! Not so sensible when I think of it now but luckily for me, my son didn’t take any notice and saw it for the joke it was.

To conquer is to overcome, good if this is something helpful to us, such as successfully overcoming a fear or habit but not so when it is in a relationship with another.

What lessons can loosing teach us, take for example loosing your home. This might teach us that home is where our hearts are, home is a feeling not a building and home is a place full of love, not possessions. Sometimes we learn the lessons the hard way, I’m not sure of the reason for this apart from the connection to growth.

Loosing friends and lovers might teach us we are looking in the wrong place, might show us that the qualities we once thought were important are anything but, or maybe we might need time alone, to focus on ourselves. Often when I look back and think of the people who have passed through my life, I understand why they are no longer here, we just don’t speak the same language anymore. That not to say I don’t love some of those people for what they gave me but I can see why I no longer need them.

I think life is probably what we need to win at, not conquer but get though. Face the challenges as if they are a game, give of ourselves and let each lesson count. Because if we don’t we know those lessons will come around again until we do actually conquer them.

Daily Prompt – Conquer

The Suffering of Others

March 8, 2017 lizaaitken

We are all pretty well off, we have access to the internet, a roof over our heads and usually our basic needs taken care of. I’m sorry if I’m pooling you into a group you don’t feel comfortable in but the fact that your reading this tells me you at least have this opportunity in your lives.

What about those that don’t have the same opportunities, those suffering in some way, those who live the most difficult and painful lives? I really struggle with this at times, wonder why the world is so unfair, why people suffer.

The only conclusion I can really reach is that they are suffering for me, their lives teach me something, they are the masters.

There must be a reason, if your spiritual, you’ll agree with purpose, you’ll understand the journey of the spirit. I don’t believe it is always a pleasant one, I think some people come to earth, not for the experience, not for the development of their own souls but for humanity.

I know a young woman, I’ve spoken about her before and called her Ann. Well Ann was abused from birth, she is brain damaged from the abuse she suffered from those that were supposed to care for and love her, her parents. I have worked with abused children traumatised by abuse for years and I can tell you Ann’s case file is one of the worst I have read.

Ann has epilepsy and we have been informed that she will at some point suffer sudden death because of this. Ann is in her 20’s and has not had a life, she functions as a toddler might and does not get pleasure from life. When I think about this I have to ask why and the only conclusion I can reach is to teach those around her something. I think she has probably taught us all different lessons but her life is certainly etched on my soul.

She has taught me in so many ways and will continue to do so. I’m lucky I know Ann, I’ve known her since she was 7 years old when I worked with her. My best friend fostered her and has her to this day so I’m a sort of auntie.

I’m only using Ann as an example but look out into the world and see how many people are suffering, the number is growing. If it is choice that they suffer then this must tell us we are not learning, we are allowing suffering to go on without really taking notice.

Brighton where I live has a big homeless population, everybody comments when they visit, but do those living here really notice in the same way? Interesting isn’t it how we can become oblivious to the suffering of others. Somebody throws themselves under a train and people complain because it holds up the line, I don’t get it.

If our own lessons are supposed to teach us, why don’t we take more notice and learn from the experiences of others. Because I think until we do its going to get worse out there, if they are here to teach us, something has to make us take notice.

What has it taught you, do you have any messages to share, anything that you learnt from the suffering of other?

A Place of Being

February 26, 2017February 26, 2017 lizaaitken

There are so many things I’ve wanted to be and so many things I’ve been.

Do we ever really know what’s good for us or where our life is going. Maybe it’s just about remaining open to adventure, open to experience and learning. If life is a lesson then I’m a good way through, I’ve taken note along the way and taken part in some practical experiments. I have photographic evidence and have made a number of conclusions. Millions of thoughts have crossed my mind and a number of questions have been answered.

I have not reached the outcome yet but I’m closer to understanding what it might look like. I’ve evolved, transformed and renewed and continue to do so in the hope that I might at some point reach a place of being.

~ Liza

Nature Lessons 182

February 25, 2017 lizaaitken

All flowers tell a story, only one flower will tell it as it is. Life is a succession of stories but only one of these stories belongs to us.

~ Liza

Life Lessons 8

January 18, 2017 lizaaitken

Language does not always match how we feel, we cannot always put our feelings into words. Sometimes words just do not fit, there are not words that can justify the emotions we feel and we are left speechless. When this happens it is okay, the emotions are real. Language is a tool, a medium but not everything. Sometimes it is only silence that can hold and make sense of the feeling.

~ Liza