Good Friday

Good morning everyone!! It’s a beautiful sunny start to the day in my part of London, white fluffy clouds linger in baby blue skies, and the sunlight spills through the window into pools on the floorboards. I got up slowly, sitting in bed for a few moments to appreciate the day. ‘Good Friday’ never feels like an adequate name for the day that signifies such enormous sacrifice & compassion, I remember thinking as a child that it must have been a pretty awfully ‘bad’ day, and if we’re celebrating the gift of grace, ‘good’ hardly seems an enthusiastic enough adverb in this context. But I guess calling it ‘Freakin’ awesomely wonderful Friday’ or something similar would be a bit much. I like to think of it as ‘Forgiveness Friday’ as in “Father forgive them, they know not what they are doing”, and I’m not even sure exactly where in scripture that’s written, but it seems suited to the crucifixion. It also reminds me that I have much to be forgiven for, and that somehow makes the day seem the celebration of grace it’s meant to be.

I pottered downstairs for breakfast (porridge with apple & pomegranate, greek yoghurt, pistachios and cinnamon) and sat on the sofa listening to the quietness.. just a ticking clock and the birds tweeting; until a local carpenter, taking advantage of the weather, started hammering and sawing in his garden. I rolled my eyes and sighed before remembering he’s just making a living, and that my home is incredibly sheltered from noise in this urban setting, so that this disturbance feels a greater intrusion because I am blessed not to hear the traffic or neighbours’ ‘music’. Good Friday is a national bank holiday in the UK, as is Easter Monday, I was surprised to recently learn this isn’t the case in the States. I forgave the carpenter for disturbing my peaceful moment. Then since I was in the mood, I forgave several people for being ‘disturbances of my peace’; recognizing that egotism, insecurity and selfishness are just symptoms of being human, and that we’re all souls stuck on the same planet, learning our lessons.

Have a fabulous Friday, and whatever your beliefs are, let forgiveness be one of them. Blessings & love ♥ Hxx

{Photo sadly uncredited, via brown dress with white spots, words ~Hayley Darby ©2013}

Shadows

Today I met a young man, well younger than I (mid 30’s at a guess), a good-looking guy, with gentle eyes and a smile that lit up like Christmas when he saw me. We chatted briefly about the things people do; the weather, the traffic, and places we knew. His eyes shone brightly, despite the redness around the edges, and his smile was engaging, captivating, infectious. My gaze momentarily fell over his shoulder, where his shadow smiled back in silent acknowledgement, detached from our exchange, yet with a definite presence.

The young man asked questions animatedly, interested and even fascinated by our conversation, which ended too quickly, I’m sad to say. I said I was leaving, and he wanted to know how long I had been staying, I explained I was only visiting, and he twisted the edge of his robe a face full of questions. I looked into those eyes, and felt a flicker of his confusion, before he smiled again and wished me well on my journey. His shadow, much larger than he, stood by and opened the door. I heard him locking it securely behind me, protecting his charge from harming himself, any more than he had done so before.

Life is harsh, and sometimes people don’t cope as well as we would wish, which is why we must be kind all of the time, because we rarely see the suffering under the skin. Sadly their shadows aren’t always there to protect them, and they are only equipped to deal with the physical, whilst the emotional demons fight within. And I drove away in the traffic he could only imagine, out into the world that was too painful and challenging for the man with thin skin, leaving him behind in a safe place that respects his fragility, where shadows are kind and caring. Blessings & love, Hxx

© 2013 ~Hayley Darby

{Photo credit: 2,000 Suspended Dandelions by Regine Ramseier}

Raindrops

Good morning everyone, happy Friday!! Today I woke early, and lay on my back, listening to the rain as it danced on the roof and slid down the windows, bounced off the cobblestones and splashed in the puddles. I remembered a time, in a tropical rainstorm on the other side of the world, when I stood in the downpour and let it soak me, as it washed away the frustration and disappointment I had been feeling. Often it feels as if our emotions are layered, as if we have to shed several skins to reveal those we’re afraid of, the things that truly upset our equilibrium, as we cling to the excuses of those we’re prepared to acknowledge. So I lay in the darkness, and peeled off some layers that I have been ignoring, turning over and observing indignant anger, fierce frustration, deep disappointment, sorrowful regret, and finally finding the acceptance I was seeking. Acceptance, when we discover it is rarely sparkling and shiny; rather it’s beauty lies in the absence of adornments that obscure its purity. So I wrapped myself up in it, noticing the calm comfort and peaceful presence, and fell back to sleep again.

When I awoke at a more reasonable hour, the rain had stopped and the birds were chirping, I stretched my full length and arched my back, before wrapping up in cosy a robe, in search of coffee. It’s a dull, damp day in London, the skies are dark, and the wind sways the trees as it sighs down the chimney. I sat on the awesome sofa, cradling my latte and let my thoughts wander through some projects I’m planning. Somewhere along an unfamiliar path, I felt free of expectation and even the need for understanding, the possibilities are endless, and the prospects exciting. Sometimes we need to let go of the things that weigh us down, so we can move freely into our future; forgiveness is the key, it’s not always easy, but I believe it’s worth the effort. Have a beautiful day everyone ❤ blessings & love, Hxx

{Photo sadly uncredited, via Pinterest}

Wishes

I wish ..
I wish I was braver.
I wish you laughter.
I wish it were simple.
I wish I understood more.
I wish everyone had dignity.
I wish your dreams come true.
I wish I could make things better.
I wish you happiness in your heart.
I wish you someone special to love.
I wish you courage in the darkness.
I wish broken hearts mended quickly.
I wish you could see the opportunities.
I wish you knew you are truly beautiful.
I wish that the world was a kinder place.
I wish you gentleness when life is harsh.
I wish people smiled more & grumbled less.
I wish I had a magic wand to right the wrongs.
I wish that you knew how much you mean to me.
I wish that people could see beyond insecurity to appreciate beauty.
I wish you love..
~Hxx

Hayley Darby ©2011

I am often asked about this post, and just found it! So sorry for the delay for everyone who requested it! ♥ Hxx

{Photo sadly uncredited, via Pinterest}

Good morning 13.3.2013

Good morning everyone!! Today I woke to the sound of the wind whipping ferociously around the house, and echoing down the chimney as the obscure dreams that somehow made perfect sense slipped from my memory. I lay for a while, snuggling into the duvet; the temperature in London has dropped again, we had a biting wind and snow yesterday. After a few moments of contemplating the day, I got up to feel the chill on my skin in the few steps it took to locate my robe, and wrapped up warmly in search of coffee. It’s a beautiful sunny spring morning, and although the trees sway, and the geraniums tremble on the window sill, some white fluffy clouds are suspended in a beautiful blue sky, and I can’t help but smile at them. Dappled sunlight awaits in the kitchen, and shadows of dancing branches are sketched across the courtyard as the coffee machine chuckles cheerfully. I curled up on the sofa with one of the cashmere blankets ADS gave me, and watched the changing sky as the clouds swiftly shifted across it.

March can be a tempestuous month, described in the rhyme as arriving like a lion, but leaving as a lamb; it certainly seems to struggle with an identity crisis, with a very changeable character, tough but nurturing. I like March, the promise of warmer weather is one thing, and the changing season with it’s playful wind that seems to sweep in and give life momentum, is very welcome. Change is often disruptive, uncomfortable, yet exciting, and it feels so good to be propelled away from stagnation, whatever direction it takes us. Spring is such an inspiring season, buds of hope starting to blossom, encouraging sunshine, a time for beginnings. I’m ready to embrace the changes I am facing, it feels as if I have been waiting for this opportunity to unfurl and stretch and seek some potential. Some of the changes I’m planning are bold and adventurous, others are daunting but necessary, and then there are those little things I’ve been meaning to get around to for ages, and feel the energy, time and motivation are present together, finally. So I’m preparing and planning, getting organized and making some space in my life for transformation; but I’m making room too, for chance, spontaneity and unexpected opportunities. March is blustery and unpredictable, so like the trees it helps when we’re flexible, withstanding the harshness of life, confident that the climate is improving. I hope that spring inspires you too, and that the winds of change are full of hope and happiness ♥ Blessings & love, Hxx

{Photo sadly uncredited, via raysofthesun.tumblr}

Busy-ness

Good morning everyone!! Today I was rudely awoken by the sound of some nearby construction work, which sawed through my dreams and hammered my thoughts into the present moment, as I tried to catch the falling memories. I pushed my head under the pillow, resisting wakefulness, searching for the answers to questions I had forgotten, before relenting and getting up in search of coffee. It’s a beautiful sunny start to the day in London, and as I drew back the curtains, I felt the warm light envelop me, smiling at the blue sky and the sparkling frost in the roof opposite, before bounding downstairs for breakfast.

I noticed myself stretching my neck as I waited for the coffee machine, and felt that the tension I’m used to carrying was unusually absent, as was the headache that often accompanies my waking. I perched on the window sill, smiling at the clouds in my coffee, I have made some changes recently and they definitely suit me. I have also been making time for yoga, returning to regular practice and exploring new classes, and am feeling the benefits enormously.

Sometimes, when we’re busy, we neglect our own needs, pushing them to the back of the queue as we juggle with work, responsibility and relationships; which slowly suffer as a consequence when stress seeps in to upset our equilibrium. ‘Busy’ is a term I’m not terribly fond of, since we all have the same number of hours, minutes and seconds per day as each other. We use the word/excuse when what we’re really describing are our priorities, and when we’re juggling too much, chances are we’re being neglectful in some aspect, if not several. So today I am embracing ‘less is more’ and focusing on the things that really matter, top of my list is brunch with my brother ☺

I wonder what’s keeping you busy, and whether it means you’re missing out on something more important? At least if you’ve read this far, maybe you’ll take a moment to reflect and consider it. Have a beautiful day, whatever you do! Blessings & love, namaste, Hxx

{Photo sadly uncredited, via happilygrey.com}