This week seems to have been overly long and, having got to the weekend, I find myself feeling drained and exhausted. Much of this is probably down to the fact that we went up to London yesterday for a funeral. This is the second one in just a few months within the same family (Tim’s cousin and then his uncle) which obviously has quite an impact.
Added to this, the funeral took place in Upminster, which is the far side of London for us, meaning that I got up at 4am to see to the horses before catching a series of 5 trains, followed by a lift to the crematorium for the service at 10.30. We left again about 1pm and got home about 5 – a long and tiring day!
Funerals, of course, are sobering occasions and, particularly as we get older, they become more and more a time to pause, reflect and consider where we’re going in Life. Funny how death has a way of making you think more about Life! It makes us realise how quickly time passes and how temporary and fragile things can be…
I see death as just another part of the natural cycle of things. To me it’s not an end, just the start of another, different chapter. As Einstein said:
I believe that since we are energy, death is just a change of form. We move on to a new state of being, one that, from this life, we can’t see, imagine or understand, but no less real for that.
I also think that it’s a good thing that death makes us reflect…
- Are we truly living?
- Or are we merely surviving, struggling through each day..?
- or existing, drifting along with no purpose, no joy and no hope?
I think that we’re here for the sole purpose of experiencing Life in all its fullness and exploring what it means to be as fully ourselves as we can possibly be.
I don’t think we’re being watched, judged or found wanting – other than, so often, by ourselves.
If we could just find a way to let go of that, and to know that there is no right or wrong, no good or bad, no failure, other than where we choose to apply these labels…
If we could know that our true nature is Love and allow ourselves to align more closely with that, without fear, what a Life we could lead, and what a world this would be.
I know that this is a bit of a simplification of things and that there are many layers and many shades to our existence here in this Life, but I’m all for keeping things simple! I think that we so often over-complicate things…
I also think that when we see things that we label as ‘bad’ or ‘evil’, this is often due to misunderstanding, a difference of perspective, or deep pain somewhere that has caused things to go so far off track, so far away from the beauty of our true nature, that it has become distorted and hurtful. Sometimes this has perhaps gone beyond the point of no return, but often, with Love and gentleness, these hurts can be healed, at least in part.
So, for me, this week has been about taking stock. Where is my life serving me – where is it making me happy, bringing me joy, helping me to grow – and where is it holding me back?
The following quotes appeared on my Instagram feed over the last few days:
They spoke deeply to me and so I thought I would share, in case they might resonate for you too.
As we enter the weekend after another busy week, I wish for you:
- some time of stillness to rest, recharge and reflect
- the opportunity to discover what makes your heart sing, and the strength to choose to follow that
- the courage to face the things that aren’t supporting you in your life, and to make the changes that will align you more with your happiness, freedom and Love
