Thinking Blossoms

Preparing for the New Year

Between the people-bustles of Christmas and New Year there can be quiet moments to appreciate the depths of winter. And the detail.

This hardy twig with its leaves and berry lace-edged with frost is lit up with sunshine and almost lovely enough for a Christmas card.

Hardy. It's going to survive winter easily.

In response to looking at the twig I'm thinking of what's going on with politics and the economy. It's not the easiest of times right now and there are many uncertainties about the future. What does that mean for each of us as individuals? None of us can predict how 2008 will turn out, so how should we be acting in order to be best prepared? How can we make New Year's resolutions if we don't know what's going to happen?

What does this twig do? Pulls inwards. There's plenty going on unseen under the earth and there's life ticking over with the green leaves. And that juicy little berry is ready to be dinner for some little creature, who in turn will further's the plant's future interests. The plant is frozen in time for a little while.

Happy Christmas

Wishing you Joy. 

Wherever you are, whatever you are up to, whoever you are with, I'm wishing you joy, peace and hope.

For some it's a stressful time, money, relationships, the future..... but can we stop, pause and find the joy in life just as it is? Do whatever we can do personally to create peace? And hope, find little light-rays of hope, gestures of friendliness? Notice signs of change in ourselves and in life around us?

I like the long Christmas, the Christmas time that carries on through to Epiphany on January 6th, the day that marks the arrival of the three Kings with their gifts. Not feasting all the way that is, but enjoying relaxed times and inward times pondering. Epiphany, an interesting word and one worth exploring.

I'm writing this in an internet cafe so there's no photo, but I'll add some lovely frosty ones soon.

Wishing you well.

:-) Judy

Before you make your New Year's Resolutions

It really is winter!

This photo of dawn through branches and trees along a ridge leaves no doubt. The light in the sky behind shows the tracery of branches bare of leaves. There's few enough leaves to count them! (click on photo to enlarge)

Please ignore the date, I haven't figured out how to remove it, and it isn't right anyway...

What's the invitation of this winter image? I'm seeing it as a metaphor for looking at the basic structure of your personal and professional life.

It's all very well making New Year's resolutions, a very good idea in fact if you can set yourself up to succeed with keeping them (coaching offers brilliant support with following through) - more about that in another posting - but where are you standing when you make your resolutions? Are you very clear about where you are now? Are you sure about which resolutions will support what you are already doing in your life and what you want to develop in the year ahead?

Here's an exercise you can try....

 

Back to my on-line life!

At last after about a month I put pen to paper and am moving back into my on-line life by blogging again!

All the activities and changes involved with moving house to a different country - to Scotland from Wales - might have made interesting reading but the doing of it all didn't leave any time. Anyway, I've been busy sorting, doing, organising, saying goodbyes and hellos, thinking, planning choosing.... and not writing and reflecting much. It just wasn't the time for that.

I have taken a few photos though, such as this one of Colinton Dell in Edinburgh. I think I took it on the day autumn turned into winter when a bit of sunshine was shining back from the leaves (click on photo to enlarge). There's rich green moss on the wall and so much water rushing along to the sea. And me? What was I up to? I felt very small in comparison with all that volume of moving water, so much rushing change. I was a step back, walking at my own pace along the path. I was taking my time, stopping to look and walking along, getting used to being here.

So that's a pleasant thought as I re-start blogging, taking one's own time.