Today's mindfulness practice was Loving Kindness and Adrienne introduced it with the poem Kindness
Naomi Shihab Nye.
Bev introduced the writing with Emily Dickinson's poem:
If I can stop one heart from breaking
If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
Our writing prompt was
I shall not live in vain
Many thanks to Kath and Helen for sending various Emily Dickinson links:
Coincidentally Emily was this week's Brain Pickings offering
This is the book of Envelope poems
The Dickinson series
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And now for some of
YOUR WRITING:
I will not live in vain
by Judith Boardman
I will not live in vain.
I'll make the soup, and wash the dishes.
Buy the birthday gift, and bake the cake.
Spread the icing, let them lick the bowl.
Bathe the grazed knee, wrap them in my arms.
Change the nappy, put away the toys.
Read the bedtime story, sing the lullaby.
Offer her an ear when things go wrong.
Clean her house, and hang the washing out.
Give kindness in abundance, offer love,
and even when her cruel words
cut deep and cause me pain,
I'll rise again with self-love.
I will not live in vain.
I shall not live in vain...
by Julia Angell
as long as I care
I can carry on
if I can care for everyone
every one
whether near or far
buttercup or bee
if I can see
that care means hope
then there is hope for me.
(untitled)
by Hilaire
a pebble dropped in a pond
does not see its ripples
as it settles into the soft receiving mud
but the ripples spread out
a leaf rocks
a bird dips its beak
catches an insect
a child counts the ripples
remembers the pebble
lets it settle in her heart
a small memory
spreading through her life ahead
Counting Hearts
by Bev Schofield
A virus they called,
flayed us with numbers too alarming
to be meaningful people.
Confused and obedient we huddled down
under the hurtling hands of the clock saying
“it’s okay, we’ll wait what difference can we make?”
Till suddenly
silently
in numbers too small to count
our hearts began to break.
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Thanks to you all ...
... for your heartening feedback as always!
Julia: Everywhere here has two names we are St Dogmaels and Llandudoch...
Candyce: Today 2 AM is getting to me. I think I need to go back to bed. Happy writing! I’ll see you next week.
Sheila: Unexpected visitor so will leave now. Happy writing. Ps. I’m happy xx
Kath: Thank you Adrienne. That was wonderful.
Kay: so powerful Adrienne thankyou kx
Julia: fell asleep!
Judith: Very powerful Adrienne, and most welcome. x
Michele: Thank you Adrienne, always find the lovely kindness meditation to be powerful, this was very good.
Adrienne: thanks everyone x
Bev: I shall not live in vain
Julia: Wow! Well stitched thatch we call home...
Kath: Love those last 2 lines Cartrice!
Beccy: I love the planting of the seed section
Catrice: Thank you!
Claire: Politely leave all the parts of my life behind , Wow
Julia: Amazing ending! Powerful!
Catrice: That was GORGEOUS Angie!
Julia: Beautiful...
Claire: Galaxies of humanities
Catrice: Excellent, Beccy!
Helen: ive stayed so others can leave...wow
Catrice: Iconic poem, Beccy!
Hilaire: Very powerful Kath!
Julia: Emotions, letting go, very wise..
Kath: So simple and thoughtful Julia
Kath: Lovely insect imagery, Claire
Beccy: Dickinson: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8518136/
Joyce: wonderful Lesley - love your list !
Julia: Love the list. lesley
Julia: That's wonderful !
Catrice: POWERFUL, KAY!!!!!
Lesley: Kay, I loved the image of your cooing, loving wood pigeons.
Beccy: Kay I enjoyed the journey with the birds and at the end you bought us back to the prompt.
Julia: I want to give Sally a hug!
Lesley: Joyce, I loved your line 'recovery is found in the kindness of others.'.
Helen: flare your nostrils to the lavender....I will I will..thanks
Kath: Love hold the line, Bex
Joyce: hold the line ! love it bex
Julia: Someone said, Letting go and it's so important to do that..
Beccy: I really appreciate the strength and importance of your feelings Fenella. I've found today strongly emotional too x
Kay: as always a wonderful powerful emotional session thankyou to everyone
Helen: Thanks for all your sharing today
Angie: thank you to everyone for a wonderful morning
Julia: Thank you and love from St Dogmaels x
Lou: lovely share adrienne
Joyce: thankyou xx
Hilaire: Thanks everyone for another wonderful session. xx
Lou: rounds all the care and share and words of our morning xx
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Lapidus Scotland gratefully acknowledges the support of Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership via the Wellbeing for Longer in Glasgow Fund managed by Impact Funding Partners