Food for thought #5

There's this saying about being 'dealt a hand of cards in life'... can't really remember exactly how it goes or where it comes from, but I know most of us use it (if only in part) quite often.

I've played a few games of Freecell in my time (mostly while I'm talking on the phone) and it never ceases to amuse me how the same 'hand of cards' can be hard to play out one moment, easy as pie the other.

It's just like 'real life' really... the same deck of opportunities and challenges, will play out quite differently at various times of our lives. We can't say it's luck, can we? We'd have to say it's about making the right decisions, at the right time, in the right place.

It's all about how we play the game.

You only 'fail' when you give up trying. So, if at first you don't succeed... hoary old cliche, but so apt.

April Blackbird

Food for thought #4

This week's news announced that alcohol abuse is costing Australia $36million pa.  The link will take you to a great article on the where/why/how of it all. I won't try to re-invent the wheel, it's all been said before.

It's seriously sad stuff.

For years I had a totally unsympathetic (and in retrospect, terribly judgemental) outlook on this huge subject.  I'd like to think that I'm wiser and more empathetic now, but I still don't have an answer as to how to curb the problem.

I do know that I have 'young corn on the land' and I'd like to see a workable solution to this social problem asap.

If you were 'in charge' and were able to influence policy, what would you do to bring about a real change in this area?

I'll get the ball rolling:

• show real life pictures of the ravages of boozing on people's faces and bodies - 
• show 'before' and 'after' photos  
• put them up in bus stops, railway stations, schools, shops, hotels, pubs, village centres, medical rooms
• broadcast interviews on TV and radio
• appeal to our ingrained 'vanity'

 April Blackbird

Food for thought # 3

I've had this abstract thought for quite some time and I've been checking with my friends... seems I'm the only one around who wonders about things like this, so I thought I'd check with 'all' of you out there.

If someone were to make a film about your life, what music would it be set to?

I told you this is an abstract thought!  Anyway, it should give you some food for thought.

I'd love to hear what you come up with... 

I've sat listening to the music played at some of the funerals I've attended and I couldn't help but wonder whether the 'dearly departed' would have approved of it.  Did it typify their lives?  Did it have some specific significance?  Does it resonate in some way with their souls?  Heaven only knows I can never listen to 'Rock Of Ages' without thinking of my maternal grandmother humming tunelessly to herself as she hovered over her boiling pots.

Personally, I'm rather keen on a huge symphony of various wind instruments blended skillfully alongside the fey tinkling of piano keys.

Food for thought # 2

Do you know that many families today live on just that?  The thought, of food.  Hard to believe when our shops are filled with choice and our shopping baskets overflow. There are people 'out there' that are constantly hungry.

We live in such a wasteful society and I have to say that each time I throw out 'spoilt' food I feel a deep sense of shame.  Which might explain my weight issues.  I am unable to leave food on my plate.  Ever.  I keep hearing my mum's recriminations ringing in my ears... 'there are so many children starving in this world and yet you waste the food on your plate'.  I have to get rid of that imprint!

I wanted to share something I watched on TV this week...There's a young man running a campaign that you might have heard of already.  Live below the line - eat for $2 a day (or less).

Not only is he eating for less than A$2 a day, he's also cycling to work and back. Needless to say, I'm impressed and am seriously considering joining his challenge.

You can join the challenge from the 2-6th August. Whether or not you do, I'm pretty sure you'll think twice next time you begin your shopping.

Last, but definitely not least...There's a group of people in Australia who have set up OzHarvest and they collect excess and left over food from shops, restaurants and hotels etc.  They do an amazing job!  Without them many would go hungry. I know this concept isn't unique to Australia.  I still think it's pretty brilliant. 

Now I'm off to cook my family a hearty meal that will stick to their bones.  It's cold out.  

April Blackbird

Food for thought # 1

"Upsets" can be "set ups"!

Hardly a new 'thought', but one I came across again this morning so I thought I'd share it with you. It made me think. I'm pretty sure that we've all been guilty of this one at some stage.  I know I have.

If you're sitting there wondering what on earth I'm talking about, I'll tell you about a perfect 'set up' scenario I was once 'guilty' of creating for myself.

I was working long hours at a job I didn't particularly enjoy for various reasons I won't get into here.  Instead of simply handing in my notice because I didn't like my job or the person I was working for, I felt I had to keep at it because I'm not a 'quitter'.  Pathetic, but true. I know myself well.

Eventually, I quit because I got really 'upset' about something quite irrelevant actually.  What I did, in fact, was 'set up' an 'upset' so I could feel justified in typing out my notice. I had to 'get really cross' first before I gave myself permission to leave.

So, the next time you find yourself getting 'upset' with someone, or about something, stop and think about why you're feeling and/or reacting like this. 

• What do you have to gain by getting 'upset'? 
• Why have you 'set up' this scenario?
• Has someone 'taken' something away from your life, in some way?
• Is there something you should have said earlier on that you felt was 'inappropriate'?  (In other words, were you too chicken to speak your truth?)  
• Are you behaving in a particular way because you subconciously seek the approval of another? 
• Are you being your true, authentic self or are you simply putting on 'an act'? 

Interesting food for thought, isn't it?

April Blackbird