Summer has arrived in the northern hemisphere with her beachy hair and flip flops, while bombs fall in faraway places that are closer than we think. Our chaotic world is propelled further into devastation by the madmen who hold the scepter of power. This compels me to begin a new summer series called Lemonade Days.
Something sour, turned sweet.
I’ll be posting daily (except Sundays) to Instagram Stories with a weekly roundup here on WordPress, about the beauty and magic I’ve noticed, that is available to us everyday. Not as a distraction or an escape, but as part of the art of noticing.
Tiny fragments of joy given to us one sweet sip at a time.
Yes, we can become drawn into all the negativity that easily grabs our attention, the breaking news of war, falling empires and failing economies, BUT (big but here), there is plenty of magic around us if we only notice, if we look with different eyes, directed by our hearts and souls, rather than our fears and anxieties.
These moments of noticing are soul fulfilling, empower our creativity and bring joy to life. Let us arrest this chaotic world for attempted robbery and focus instead on the beauty that is hidden in plain sight.
So, join me for Lemonade Days, where we make lemonade out of lemons, lay down in soft velvet grass staring at cloud shapes, and dream of a better world, while we build it, one soul at a time.
What have you noticed lately that will bring joy to a chaotic world?
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Great…a little positivity is needed among all this hate and division that’s blanketing us right now. I’ll look out for those daily posts on Instagram 💕.
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Thank you Jan! I appreciate your thoughtful words and support. 💕
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I hesitate to like this post, not because of the sentiment and clearly good intentions, but because of the phrase “Yes, we can become drawn into all the negativity that easily grabs our attention, the breaking news of war, falling empires and failing economies, BUT (big but here), there is plenty of magic around us if we only notice, if we look with different eyes, directed by our hearts and souls, rather than our fears and anxieties.” Yes, the western world can choose whether they get drawn in this “negativity” but phrasing it this way really minimizes ands the pain that people in other countries are going through. They do not have this flowery privilege of simply looking away. Again, I do understand the sentiment and what you are suggesting, but to me the delivery could be a bit more sensitive to others’ lack of choice.
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Thank you for your message Margie. I understand your perspective. When I speak about being drawn into the negativity, I am not attempting to minimize anyone’s pain. It is a reference that we cannot focus only on the bad news. The Breaking News is something that surrounds us on every bit of social media and on television. Focusing only on this aspect of life means we miss out on so much more. Yes, people are suffering all over the world. The ones who have bombs falling on them and ones who’s hearts are broken by cheating lovers. None of it can be minimized. We are all sufferers, though we cannot also miss the beauty at the same time.
It was in a Nazi concentration camp that Viktor Frankl noticed many moments of beauty. It may feel unbelievable in such an atrocious place that any beauty would exist. In his book, Man’s Search for Meaning he wrote, “The experiences of camp life show that man does have a choice of action. There were enough examples, often of a heroic nature, which proved that apathy could be overcome, irritability suppressed. Man can preserve a vestige of spiritual freedom, of independence of mind, even in such terrible conditions of psychic and physical stress.
We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
Believe me I do not minimize war. I actually lived through a war as a young child and I have full memory of it. Fortunately no bombs fell on our house, but the stress these times induce are deep and fracturing.
What we can do in times like this is to be a light for those who suffer. And we need to shine even brighter now, for them.
I hope you understand my perspective. With love 💕
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I did understand what you meant and your good intentions. I had no doubt for a minute that you are minimizing pain. I definitely didn’t suggest that people who are suffering should concentrate on the negatives. I thought your wording was off, but maybe I didn’t explain myself well… To put it very bluntly, I heard this: there are terrible things happening in the world (but not to us), oh, look a rainbow. It will probably still not coming through the way I intend it to. That’s okay, I know you mean well, but I thought you might understand why it comes across this way.
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I wish WordPress would let me edit as this wasn’t very coherent 🙂 I do know you mean well and I apologize for taking my frustration out on you, I hope I didn’t offend you!
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Thank you for your messages Margie. They gave me a lot to think about. And I’m grateful for that.
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That lemonade looks so inviting, Alegria. I have one huge reason for joy this week. Last Thursday I learnt that a very dear friend had suffered a stroke and was in a perilous position. Yesterday I received news from her husband that things are going better than anyone had dared to hope, and saw her smiling back at me from her hospital bed. I couldn’t stop smiling all day xx
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That is most certainly good reason for joy Jo. How beautiful. Thank you for sharing. I wish your friend continued recovery and resilience as she heals.
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Joy in a chaotic world? I notice the blue sky + white clouds. And the roses. And am grooving on AC while the heat dome attempts to fry us here in the midwest.
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All good reasons for joy Ally. Thank you for sharing your bits of joy. Stay cool. I’ve been in AC all day too. Though I think I will go out to smell some roses now.
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Brilliant and much needed, Alegria! The art of noticing — thank you for bringing out what you notice so beautifully!
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Thanks very much for being here my friend, and for your encouraging words. 💕
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Blue skies, smiling at me… Today was a blue sky day here. 🙂 Trying to make the most of them. Really looking forward to your Lemonade Day posts. Been missing you, girl friend.
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Awww Susan, you are the sweetest. I believe I owe you an email. Coming your way tomorrow girlfriend!
And thank you for this beautiful bit of joy. 💕
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Children laughing and playing outside
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That is definitely a sound and image that brings joy. Thank you Beth!
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